Cajun Oven-Fried Chicken

Bird is the word! Keep the deep fryer in storage and still get tender, crispy chicken with this easy, family friendly recipe. ...MORE+ LESS-

2 1/2

lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs or combination

cup buttermilk

egg whites, slightly beaten

1 3/4

cups Progresso™ plain panko crispy bread crumbs

1 1/2

teaspoons Cajun seasoning

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1

In large bowl, place chicken and buttermilk; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes, but no longer than 8 hours.
2

Heat oven to 450°F. Place ovenproof rack on top of rimmed cookie sheet; spray both with cooking spray. Set aside. Place egg whites and bread crumbs in two separate shallow dishes or pie plates. Transfer chicken to large plate, letting buttermilk drip back into bowl. Discard buttermilk.
3

Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Rub Cajun seasoning on both sides of chicken.
4

Dip chicken into egg whites, letting excess drip back into dish. Coat chicken in bread crumbs, pressing to adhere. Lightly spray both sides of chicken pieces with cooking spray; place on rack.
5

Bake 25 to 30 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking, until lightly browned and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (165°F). If desired, broil 6 inches from heating element 30 seconds to 1 minute to thoroughly brown and crisp the crust.

Swap out two (14 oz) packages of chicken tenders for the breasts and thighs for a kid-friendly or appetizer-sized version. Just reduce the bake time to 15 to 18 minutes.
Can’t fathom calling it “unfried chicken” without drummies on the platter? Bone-in drumsticks, wings, breasts and thighs work fine in this recipe, too. Just be sure to lose the skin and leave in the oven a few minutes longer to make sure the chicken is fully cooked inside.