Oven-Baked Crispy Chicken

Oven-baked crispy chicken is a healthy alternative to fried chicken, maintaining the same appealing outer crispiness but without the excess fat. Here is the recipe with an Italian twist.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken cut into pieces or parts of choice such as thighs or breast (about 1.2 kg)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of dried Italian herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 100 g of breadcrumbs
• 50 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon of paprika (optional for a bit of spice)
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Preparation

1. Turn on the oven and preheat it to 200 °C.
2. In a large bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, chopped garlic, and herbs. Mix well to blend the ingredients.
3. Add the chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring they are all well coated. Leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, if you have time.
4. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, paprika, and garlic powder. Mix well.
5. Take the chicken pieces out of the marinade, letting some remain attached, and roll them in the breading, pressing well so it adheres on all sides.
6. Arrange the chicken pieces on an oven rack over a tray (to catch any fat drips) or directly on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
7. Drizzle the chicken with a little extra virgin olive oil and bake in the upper part of the already hot oven.
8. Cook for about 40-45 minutes or until the breading is golden and crispy and the chicken has reached 75 °C in the center.
9. Remove from the oven and let rest for a few minutes before serving.

Did you know?

In Italy, chicken is not often cooked fried as in the American tradition, but the oven is one of the most used tools for cooking this meat. The combination of breadcrumbs with Parmesan provides a rich and flavorful breading that is made crispy by oven baking, and the addition of aromatic herbs provides that Mediterranean touch that never goes amiss.