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Oven-fried chicken gives you the crunch of the deep-fried favorite without the pot of oil. Seasoned almond flour coats juicy bone-in breasts that bake on a rack until the crust turns golden and crisp. A kitchen scale and three breading dishes are the whole setup.
Pro Tips
- Coat only the top and sides of each chicken piece — the bare bottom sits directly on the rack so it cooks cleanly instead of steaming in coating.
- Pat the chicken completely dry and season all sides lightly before the dredge; surface moisture is what makes breading slide off.
- Work the coconut oil into the almond flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs — that texture is what fries up crisp in the oven.
- Bake on a greased wire rack at 425°F in the upper-middle of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the coating is golden and the thickest part reads 160°F.
- Let the chicken rest on the rack 5 minutes before serving so the juices redistribute and the crust finishes setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why leave the bottom uncoated?
The bare side sits against the hot rack and cooks directly; coating it would trap steam and make the underside soggy.
Why bone-in chicken breasts?
The bone keeps the meat juicy through the long hot bake — boneless breasts dry out before the crust is properly crisp.
How do I know it's done?
An instant-read thermometer in the thickest part should register 160°F after roughly 35 minutes, with the coating deeply golden.
Why use a kitchen scale?
The recipe's weight measurements — especially the almond flour coating — give consistent results every time. Cups vary; grams don't.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet: Adjust an oven rack to the upper-middle position and preheat to 425°F (220°C).
- Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. Lightly grease the wire rack with coconut oil.
- 2.
- Set Up the Breading Stations: You'll need three separate shallow dishes. o Dish 1: Add the tapioca or arrowroot flour (2.1 oz / 60 g). o Dish 2: Whisk together the 4 eggs, coconut milk (4.2 oz / 120 g), lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until smooth. o Dish 3: Combine the almond flour (11.9 oz / 336 g), coconut oil (0.5 oz / 14 g), sea salt, garlic powder, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and cayenne. Use your fingers or a fork to work the coconut oil into the almond flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- 3.
- Coat the Chicken: Trim any visible fat from the chicken breasts and cut each one in half.
- Pat the chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels and season them lightly on all sides with salt and pepper.
- Working with one piece at a time, coat only the top and sides of the chicken: o First, dredge the piece in the tapioca flour, shaking off any excess. o Next, dip it into the egg wash, allowing the excess to drip back into the dish. o Finally, press it firmly into the almond flour mixture to create a thick, even coating.
- 4.
- Arrange and Bake: Place each coated chicken piece on the prepared wire rack with the uncoated (bottom) side facing down.
- Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the coating is golden and crispy and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 160°F (71°C).
- 5.
- Rest and Serve: Let the chicken rest on the wire rack for 5 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, ensuring a tender result.
- Serve immediately.
