This panko chicken recipe takes less than 30 minutes to prepare and is ideal for a quick weekday dinner. Instead of the typical egg coating, we use a mayonnaise and mustard mixture that not only adds taste but also keeps the chicken juicy on the inside yet crispy on the surface.
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You Will Love This
It's really adaptable! The whole family can make their own meal by adding this crispy chicken to any salad, flatbread, sandwich, or wrap after you put a pan of it in the oven! It's simple to prepare and pairs well with your preferred sauce or dip because it's fried chicken without the added grease and mess!
If you enjoyed this recipe for crispy Panko chicken, you should definitely check out my Taco Bell chicken quesadillas, my Mayonnaise Parmesan Chicken, or my Blackstone Chicken
Ingredients and Substitutions
This Oven Baked Juicy Panko Chicken recipe only requires a few ingredients. The full proportions are listed on the printable recipe card below.
- Chicken Breast - The ideal option for this dish is boneless, skinless chicken breast, but you may also use chicken thighs or cutlets if you have them on hand.
- Mayonnaise - Mayonnaise is my preferred egg substitute for breaded chicken. It enhances the flavor and seals in the fluids of the chicken breast.
- Dijon Mustard - Dijon mustard gives a fantastic depth of flavor, but don't worry, your chicken will not taste mustardy! You can also use standard yellow mustard, spicy brown mustard, or whole-grain mustard, though those may have a stronger mustard flavor.
- Panko Breadcrumbs - Panko breadcrumbs are my favorite for this chicken because they become extremely crispy while providing a light breaded covering. If you don't have panko, you may use normal breadcrumbs, but the result will be slightly different and may not be as crispy.
- Parmesan cheese imparts a great flavor to the dough. Normally, I shred or grate my own cheese, but for this dish, I prefer to use store-bought grated Parmesan, similar to the kind you'd put on pizza.
- Herbs and Spices - The main spices in the panko combination are Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and paprika. Listed below are some of our family's favorite variants.
Instructions
- Put mayo, Dijon mustard, and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Put the panko bread crumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper in a different shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken on both sides by tossing it in the mayonnaise mixture.
- Gently press the panko bread crumb mixture into the chicken after dredging it in it.
- On a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack on top or on a pizza pan with holes, arrange the chicken about an inch apart. Apply cooking spray with olive oil.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are rich golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
- If desired, garnish with parsley, cut into slices, and savor! Serve with homemade chipotle sauce and lemon wedges for a zesty lemon juice squeeze.
Tips
- Use a wire cooling rack or make sure your pan has holes in it. I suggest using a pizza pan or setting a wire rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and becomes crispy on all sides. This will guarantee that the chicken gets crispy on all sides by allowing air to circulate around it.
- Are you unsure if the chicken has finished cooking? When the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, you'll know it's done. A meat thermometer can be used to verify this. To ensure there is no pink in the middle, you can also carefully cut into the center of the chicken.
Serve with Dipping Sauces
Savor your preferred dipping sauces with this crispy panko chicken! Crispy chicken is a great accompaniment to:
- 5-Ingredient Dijon mustard sauce
- Greek dressing
- Avocado sauce
- Garlic Parmesan sauce
- Five-minute peanut sauce
- homemade burger sauce.
- BBQ sauce
- Ranch
- ketchup
- Garlic butter sauce
- Chipotle sauce
- 5-Minute Homemade Boom Boom Sauce
- Homemade buffalo sauce
Recipe Variations
This recipe's greatest feature is that you may alter the tastes to suit your family's preferences. Adding the following items to the breading is one of our favorites:
- For some spiciness, add cayenne pepper.
- Dried oregano
- Powdered onion
- Dried thyme
- Seasoning with lemon pepper
- Lawry's salt for seasoning
Frequently Asked Questions
When breading chicken, the ideal alternative to eggs is a creamy mayo and mustard combo! When coated in this, you'll be amazed at how readily the panko breadcrumbs adhere to the chicken. The best thing is that the panko breaded chicken breast will be incredibly juicy since the mayo and mustard will keep the liquids in place!
No! The panko-coated chicken breast in this recipe bakes up wonderfully crispy, retaining all the taste of fried chicken without the mess! Additionally, panko can be baked without being toasted to give it a crunchy quality. This chicken only needs a quick olive oil spray and 25 minutes in a hot oven to produce a crispy panko crust!
Here's where the coating is useful! Panko that doesn't want to stick can occasionally result from using the conventional flour dredging and egg wash. In addition to saving you a step and additional dishes, coating the chicken with a mayo and mustard combination ensures that the panko adheres to the chicken every time! The key to getting that panko to stick is to coat the chicken with mustard and mayo.
Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating
- Make-Ahead: If you want to prepare some ingredients in advance, you can dip the chicken in the mayo and mustard mixture, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and chill it for up to 24 hours before breading. Other than that, the cooked panko chicken reheats and keeps well!
- Storage: Keep leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Warm the chicken thoroughly in a 350°F oven on a baking pan. Alternately, arrange them evenly in the air fryer's basket or on the tray, and cook them at 350 degrees until well heated.
If you tried this Oven Baked Juicy Panko Chicken or any other recipe on my website, please feel free to leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. And remember to tag me on Instagram!
More Easy Chicken Recipes
- 10 Minute Copycat Taco Bell Chicken Quesadilla
- Mayonnaise Parmesan Chicken
- Blackstone Chicken (Easy Griddle Recipe)
- Crispy Honey Chicken
- Buffalo Wild Wings CrockPot Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta Recipe
- Crockpot Garlic Parmesan Chicken and Potatoes
- Greek Yogurt Marinated Chicken
- The Best Crispy Chicken Parmesan
- 30-Minute Grilled Buffalo Chicken
Recipe
Oven Baked Juicy Panko Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 cutlets
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Kosher salt
- fresh cracked pepper
- olive oil spray
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set the oven temperature to 425 degrees.
- Place a cooking rack on top of a baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper.
- Put mayo, Dijon mustard, and a few pinches of salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Put the Panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper in a separate shallow bowl.
- Coat the chicken on both sides by tossing it in the mayonnaise mixture.
- Gently press the breadcrumb mixture into the chicken after dredging it in it.
- On a baking sheet with a wire cooling rack on top or on a pizza pan with holes, arrange the chicken about an inch apart.
- Apply cooking spray with olive oil.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are rich golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
- If desired, garnish with parsley, cut into slices, and savor!
NOTES
- Use a wire cooling rack or make sure your pan has holes in it. I suggest using a pizza pan or setting a wire cooling rack on a baking sheet lined with parchment to ensure the chicken cooks evenly and becomes crispy on all sides. This will guarantee that the chicken gets crispy on all sides by allowing air to circulate around it.
- Are you unsure if the chicken has finished cooking? When the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees, you'll know it's done. A meat thermometer can be used to verify this. To ensure there is no pink in the middle, you can also carefully cut into the center of the chicken.
Julia Campbell says
Wow, I’m so excited to try this! The mayonnaise and mustard combo is such a clever idea for keeping the chicken juicy. Plus, who doesn’t love crispy panko? This recipe is definitely going on my dinner list.
Alexa Taylor says
I love how versatile this dish is! It's great that everyone can customize their meal with different sauces or sides. The combination of mayo and Dijon is brilliant—it’s all about those flavor layers, right?
Ellen West says
'Crispy chicken without the mess' sounds like music to my ears! I love that you’ve provided so many tips for getting that perfect crunch. Definitely bookmarking this recipe for next week’s meal prep.
Jenna Taylor says
This looks absolutely mouthwatering! I'm always on the lookout for quick and easy recipes, and this panko chicken fits the bill perfectly. I can already see my family devouring it—especially with BBQ sauce on the side!
Bethany Hughes says
What a clever twist on traditional fried chicken! Using the oven instead of frying makes it so much healthier without sacrificing taste. I can't wait to give this recipe a try and impress my friends at dinner!
Joy Carter says
I appreciate how you made this recipe simple yet delicious! Using panko for that extra crunch sounds fantastic. I'm already imagining all the different dipping sauces I can pair it with—this is going to be a hit!
Courtney Ford says
This panko chicken recipe sounds like a total game-changer for weeknight dinners! I love how quick it is to prepare and how adaptable it can be for everyone's taste. Can't wait to serve it with some homemade chipotle sauce!