Oh look. It’s another post about chicken. It’s like we just can’t get enough.
My men-filled family loves fried chicken. Who doesn’t?
I used to stand at my electric skillet every couple of weeks frying a bunch of chicken legs, and I’d make a pot of mashed potatoes, use the chicken drippings to make gravy…oh I’d go all out. I did it because my family loved it and I love them.
It’s not that my family doesn’t still love fried chicken and it most certainly isn’t that I don’t still love my family. But at this point in my life, spending over an hour cooking one messy meal just isn’t something I can do. We’ve missed the fried chicken, for sure. But we all like it when Mama can use her nice words, so in a joint effort to keep me sane, no one has complained too much.
I finally decided to experiment with Oven Fried Chicken, though I didn’t see how it could possibly be as good as “actual” fried chicken. My family all agrees that it’s not...quite as good as actual fried chicken. But when the alternative is NO fried chicken, all six of us rally behind this and appreciate its simplicity and goodness.
Simple Oven Fried Chicken
- 8-10 bone-in chicken pieces
- 1 cup flour (any grain you like)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon parsley flakes
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- Place butter in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
- Put dish in oven as it preheats to 400 degrees. The butter will melt as the oven preheats.
- In the meantime, mix flour, garlic powder, salt, parsley, and paprika in a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Shake to mix.
- Put chicken pieces into the bag, seal, and shake until the chicken is well coated.
- Place prepared chicken in the dish of melted butter, giving each piece plenty of space for more even cooking.
- Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes, turning chicken after the first 25 minutes of bake time.
You might be wondering, as you look at the pictures above, “WHERE are the mashed potatoes??!” Where, indeed. But we went through all this a few days ago when I admitted that I’d broken up with mashed potatoes after years of happiness. We’ve agreed to remain friends, but for now, when I make this Simple Oven Fried Chicken, I stick with simple sides that take no effort. (I mean, if I don’t have time to make fried chicken, I surely don’t have time to make mashed potatoes.)
I guess it could be said that now that I’ve discovered this Oven Fried Chicken recipe, I’ve also broken up with “real” Fried Chicken. (Don’t worry Fat Bombs. I’ll love you forever. XOXO.) But at least this Oven Fried Chicken is the next best thing so we can keep our kitchen life simple and eat our chicken too.
Here are more Simple Recipes you’ll love!
Truly, all of these recipes are ridiculously easy, good, and nourishing.
- Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus
- Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
- Simple Skillet Taco Pasta
- Last-Minute Lentil Chili
- Simple Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Legs
- 20-Minute Taco Soup
- Simple Cheesy Baked Chicken
- Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
- Simple Italian Beef and Broccoli Skillet
- Simple Bacon Ranch Chicken
- Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
- Simple Taco Rice Dinner
- Simple Last Minute Nacho Plate
- Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick
- Simple Beanie Weanies
- Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
- Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
- Simple Italian Chicken and Green Bean Bake
- Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
- Simple Hamburger Soup
- Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
- Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
- Simple 15-Minute Meal
- Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
- Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
If you haven’t joined Simple Meals yet, you are missing out on SIMPLE becoming even MORE SIMPLE! (It’s actually possible. I do the work for you!) Check it out here. Get an full Simple Meals Planning Packet in your inbox every single week!
I might get kicked out for saying this but… have you tried doing instant mashed potatoes? There are some with decent ingredients (nothing funky) and they taste really good and are SO easy! I haven’t made from scratch mashed potatoes in forever.
I haven’t made them at home, but anytime I’ve had them at a restaurant or elsewhere, I really don’t like them. Maybe I’d get used to them?
I can’t wait to try this oven fried chicken recipe. I have a Zaycon chicken order coming tomorrow so I will use some of the boneless skinless breasts and some chicken legs from the freezer.
I am assuming that the recipe will work with any type chicken with adjusted cooking times.
We will have this on Sunday with mashed potatoes. I love them and don’t mind making them! The potatoes can boil while the chicken bakes!
I’ll have to use a cookie sheet instead of a 13×9 pan to cook the chicken so it all fits on one pan.
Yes, any kind of chicken will work!
I love fried chicken. I actually use club soda and coat (shake) chicken twice it comes out more crispy and since club soda works well in biscuits, pancakes, and for cleaning mirrors, glass , some laundry stains, etc (you don’t have to use much)it really doesn’t bust the budge (I buy wal-mart brand for under 1.00 and it lasts quite a while). Also if making mashed potatoes isn’t an option time wise, throw in smaller whole potatoes in oven while baking chicken (or pull out some frozen potatoes made ahead of time), incredibly fast…. then family members can load em how they like or mash em up themselves…it’s fairly easy to have a mix(homemade) made up for a quick gravy. Thank you so much for all the wonderful ideas you give on this site.
I had a family pack of chicken legs in my fridge yesterday wondering how to transform them into dinner, and – voila! Here comes your simple, crowd-pleasing recipe…my kids were wondering if I could just make a whole pan of the crispy drippings next time, too. :) Thanks for the great dinner suggestion! I second the “throw some whole baking and sweet potatoes in the oven at the same time” idea – I hate just turning it on for one item anyway!
I do this, but I use panko instead of flour, and add some grated Parmesan cheese – so crunchy and good! I’ll have to try the flour – any thoughts on if almond flour would work?
I’ve never tried breading anything with almond flour. I would imagine it should work though!
Made this for supper tonight after a busy day. Super easy to put together…I baked a pan of russet and sweet potatoes along with it and cooked some frozen green beans from our garden last summer. Thanks for the quick and easy recipes!
8-10 bone in ….. legs?
Wow, I missed a key word there, huh? :) Legs, thighs, any pieces will work. But legs cook a little faster and are family friendly because they are easiest to eat! :)
Hey Laura! I must say, your recipes always amaze me. They’re all so delicious! I can’t wait to try this one, I bet my husband will love it. Thank you!