Oven Fried Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs
Deliciously crispy and simple, the oven-fried method saves a lot of time and mess compared to traditional frying.
This isn't a traditional way to prepare Fried Chicken, of course, and it is a different method entirely from the Kitchen Tapestry recipe for Air Fried Fried Chicken. This isn't low carb and it doesn't need the special appliance. It is inspired by a recipe from the Food Network website called "Deviled Chicken Thighs."
What is it, beside the common ingredient of mustard, that makes a Deviled Egg deviled, and Deviled Chicken deviled? Turns out that use of any spicy ingredient including hot sauce, Cayenne pepper or the aforementioned mustard is what constitutes evocation of satanic forces and the culinary term of “deviled” - until you come to Devil's Food Cake. Then, the mustard denominator does not apply. I will give credit to the Food Network for this recipe, but mustard is only a background flavor and this Oven Fried Chicken is not in any way spicy hot, so I gave it a more conventional name including the main qualifier, Panko.
It’s Just Called, “Panko”
Up until the ‘90s, no one on this side of the Pacific really knew about Panko, but it has been around in Japanese cooking since the 19th Century. It was during this time that Western-style bread was introduced to Japan, and it gradually became integrated into the local diet.
Panko: "pan" means bread, and "ko" means crumbs in Japanese, so if you say, “Panko Bread Crumbs,” you’re really saying “Bread Crumbs Bread Crumbs” and showing your ignorance as a Westerner. But even Kikkoman is still trying to educate us.
Panko is made from a special type of bread that’s baked without a crust. This bread is then processed into large, airy, flaky crumbs that give it its distinctive texture. Unlike traditional bread crumbs, which are often finer and denser, Panko has a lighter, crispier crunch when fried or baked.
As usual, I modified the original recipe to accommodate the ingredients I had on hand. The original recipe also called for the skin of the chicken thighs to be removed. I cannot, for the life of me, see why anyone would want to do that.
Oven Fried Panko Crusted Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- 4 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 1/4 stick of butter
- 2/3 cup Dijon mustard (like, Grey Poupon)
- 1- 1/2 cups panko (like, Kikkoman)
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (like, Kraft)
- 2 tbsp Hungarian style (sweet) paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt
- 5-6 grinds freshly cracked black pepper
- non-stick cooking spray (like, Pam)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 425°F.
- Set out a sheet pan, lined with aluminum foil, and topped with wire racks. Treat the racks with the non-stick cooking spray.
- Microwave the butter and garlic until the butter is melted and then add the mixture to the Dijon mustard in a bowl deep and wide enough to be able to accommodate coating the chicken.
- Add the panko, Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper, paprika, and black pepper in another large mixing bowl, and whisk together to combine.
- Roll each chicken thigh in the Dijon and butter mixture to thoroughly coat it. Dust it with a pinch of salt, then roll the chicken in the panko mixture until well coated.
- Place each piece of chicken, skin side up, on the wire racks in your sheet pan. Carefully spray the tops of each piece of chicken with more of the non-stick spray.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 20 minutes.
- Place in the middle rack of the oven for 45 minutes until the chicken is golden brown.
Notes
- You can test the chicken to ensure it is fully cooked by piercing the thigh at its deepest part all the way to the bone with a sharp knife. If the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked. If you see any pink, cook an additional five minutes.
