Coating Chicken With Bread Crumbs: A Flour-Free Method

Breading chicken is a simple process that involves coating chicken cutlets in breadcrumbs, which gives the chicken a crunchy texture. The traditional method involves dredging chicken in flour, dipping it in egg, and then coating it in breadcrumbs. However, it is possible to coat chicken with breadcrumbs without using flour. This can be achieved by dipping the chicken in a liquid mixture, such as egg or olive oil, and then coating it in breadcrumbs. The chicken can then be cooked in a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, or it can be baked in the oven.

Marinate the chicken

Marinating chicken is an important step in ensuring your chicken is flavourful, tender, and juicy. Here is a step-by-step guide to marinating chicken before coating it with breadcrumbs:

Start by preparing your chicken breasts. Using a sharp knife, butterfly each chicken breast by slicing it in half horizontally. Place your palm on top of the breast and gently pound it out to an even thickness of about 1/4 inch. This step helps ensure even cooking and tenderness.

Next, prepare your marinade. A simple marinade can be made by mixing garlic, paprika, and olive oil. You can also add other ingredients like lemon juice, yogurt, or your favourite spices to enhance the flavour. Place the chicken breasts in a bowl or ziplock bag and pour the marinade over them, ensuring each piece is well-coated. You can also poke or score the chicken to allow the marinade to penetrate deeper.

Once the chicken is coated, cover and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to a few hours. The longer you leave the chicken to marinate, the more intense the flavour will be. However, do not leave it for too long as the acid in the marinade can start to break down the proteins in the chicken, affecting its texture.

After marinating, remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip off. Before coating with breadcrumbs, you can optionally coat the chicken with flour and eggs, as described in the next steps.

Now, you are ready to coat the chicken with breadcrumbs. For a crunchy coating, press the breadcrumbs onto each piece of chicken, ensuring it is fully coated. You can use plain breadcrumbs or season them with spices or herbs for extra flavour.

Finally, cook your chicken using your preferred method, such as frying or baking, following the instructions in the previous paragraph. Enjoy your juicy and flavourful breaded chicken!

Prepare the breading station

To prepare the breading station, you will need three shallow bowls or pie tins. In the first bowl, place the flour. You can season the flour with salt and pepper if you wish. In the second bowl, crack and beat the eggs. You can add a little water to the eggs to thin them out if you like. In the third bowl, place the breadcrumbs. You can use plain dry breadcrumbs or season them yourself with spices. You can also use crushed crackers, cereal, or chips instead of breadcrumbs. If you want to make your own breadcrumbs, pulse torn bread in a food processor, then dry the crumbs out in the microwave.

If you are not using flour, you can brush the chicken with mayonnaise, olive oil, or an olive oil and garlic mixture before coating it in the breadcrumbs. You can also dip the chicken in egg first, then coat it in the breadcrumbs. Make sure to press the breadcrumbs onto the chicken so that it is fully coated.

Coat the chicken in egg

To coat chicken in egg without flour, you will first need to prepare the chicken by removing it from any marinade and allowing the juices and garlic to drip off. You can also season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Next, prepare your eggs. You can either crack an egg into a bowl and dip the chicken in, or brush the chicken with egg using a pastry brush. Ensure that the chicken is completely coated in egg.

If you are using a bowl, you can add a little olive oil or mayonnaise to the egg to help the breading stick. You can also use a mixture of olive oil, garlic, and paprika, which will add flavour to the chicken.

After coating the chicken in egg, you can then move on to the breading stage. This could be breadcrumbs, cracker crumbs, or cornflakes.

Apply the breadcrumbs

To coat chicken with breadcrumbs without flour, you can follow these steps:

Firstly, prepare your chicken by removing it from the marinade and allowing any excess juices and garlic to drip off. You can also butterfly and pound the chicken into thin cutlets so it cooks evenly.

Now, prepare your liquid mixture. You can use beaten eggs, olive oil, or mayonnaise for this. Add any spices or seasonings to your liquid mixture. For example, you could add garlic, paprika, and olive oil, or season with salt and pepper.

Next, prepare your breadcrumbs. You can use plain dry breadcrumbs, or season them yourself with spices. You can also use alternatives like crushed crackers, Cheez-Its, or panko (Japanese breadcrumbs).

Now it's time to apply the breadcrumbs. Dip the chicken into the liquid mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Then, dip the chicken into the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure it is fully coated. You may need to pat the breadcrumbs onto the chicken to ensure they adhere well. Make sure there are no areas of the chicken left uncoated.

Once your chicken is fully coated, place it onto a plate and allow it to rest for 15-30 minutes at room temperature. This will help the coating stick to the chicken.

Cook the chicken

Cooking the chicken is a straightforward process. First, heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for a few minutes. You'll know the oil is hot enough when it vigorously bubbles if you drop in a stray piece of breading.

Next, add the breaded chicken to the pan, ensuring you don't crowd the pieces (you may need to cook them in batches). Cook until the bottom is deep golden brown, which should take around 3 to 4 minutes. Then, flip the chicken and let the other side brown for about another 3 minutes.

Finally, transfer the chicken pieces to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate and serve hot. Enjoy your juicy, tender, and crunchy chicken!

Alternatively, you can bake the breaded chicken in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Dip each chicken breast in the oil or liquid mixture, and then in the bread crumb mixture, ensuring each breast is fully coated. Arrange the coated chicken breasts in a baking dish and top with any remaining bread crumb mixture and oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.

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