Mom's 1960-style recipe this classic popular chicken coating was economical to make using any boneless meats chicken being the least expensive for our family of five.
This step-by-step recipe also has other innovative cooking methods to choose like air frying and healthy version instructions for baking.
The chicken is dipped in buttermilk and then cornflakes we also have two other methods made with flour, egg, coating, or a mayonnaise-dipped version for you below.
Mom often used bone-in chicken but boneless for hosting parties or packed-in lunches is much easier to pack, eat, and enjoy.
If you love crunchy coatings, this classic old-fashioned chicken coating will be the most asked for.
The chicken is delicious and served with our Chicken Dipping Sauce recipes or you can just eat this plain, it's great all by itself.
Our step-by-step instructions are printable at the bottom of this post if you want to scroll through our tips right to the recipe.
How to Make Old Fashioned Cornflake Coated Chicken
- First, start out with bone-in pieces of choice (or use strips of boneless chicken (plus you can substitute another bone-in or boneless meat for coating it is terrific on beef, chicken, pork, etc.).
- First coat soak into buttermilk, then coat with cornflakes.
- These strips/chicken fingers go into the oven to bake into a crispy crunchy delicious meal or even a party finger food and there are additional cooking methods at the end of this post hit print on the recipe card!
Another Super Easy Method for Cornflake Chicken Coating Below
Did I mention they freeze well also? Just freeze them on a cookie sheet already cooked and freeze them in freezer bags then reheat them in the oven for 20 minutes or (in the air fryer for around 10 minutes).
Most of the time they just dip these in barbecue sauce or hot sauce.
Serve these for lunch, dinner, or that special before-dinner appetizer for a game-day party you may be hosting!
Try our easy recipe for the mayonnaise chicken below, it's super tasty, stays moist, and a family favorite.
Other Meats to Use
- Pork chops
- Cube steaks
- Boneless sirloin
- Chicken wings
- Bone-in chicken any parts
- Venison tenderloin
- Note: cooking times will vary depending on the thickness and kind of meat you use to refer to a meat thermometer for accurate doneness
Cornflake Chicken Step-by-Step
- Soak the chicken in buttermilk (HOMEMADE QUICK BUTTERMILK: 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let sit for 5 minutes). Chicken to use: cubed, fingers, tenders, medallions or bone-in)
- Crush the cornflakes in a ziplock bag or add them to the large deep pie plate
- Fry, Bake or Air-Fry
- Serve with your favorite dipping sauce
- Note: Alternative: Dip in flour instead of buttermilk, then egg beaten then cornflakes or check out the mayonnaise version
Ingredients You Will Need
- chicken breasts boneless cubed
- buttermilk
- ground mustard
- seasoning salt
- coarsely crushed cornflakes
- granulated garlic powder
- paprika
- butter melted
- cooking spray
- oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
- optional: Dot with butter on each piece before baking
Tips
- For diabetes substitute crushed pork rinds
- For flour, allergies substitute almond flour or gluten-free flour
- Organic chicken has the best texture
- Use any parts of the chicken boneless or bone-in (wings are great with this coating)
- For a thickened batter coating double dip the egg then cornflakes
- Boneless steak, pork, and venison can be substituted for chicken
- Cooking Alternative Methods:
- For Baking: Place the chicken on the cookie sheet (I line it with parchment paper and drizzle lightly with oil or cooking spray), then lightly spray the chicken pieces. Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven, for 25 minutes.
- For Air Frying: Spray the basket with cooking oil. Place in the basket. Air fry for 10 minutes on each side turning once at 400 degrees or cook until golden browned.
- Refer to the recipe card for internal temperature using a meat thermometer ( chicken must be 165 degrees in the thickest part of the chicken)
- chicken coated in mayonnaise then rolled in cornflakes (photo below)
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This chicken is perfect for serving as a snacking on, an appetizer for hosting parties, and for a fun delicious lunch.
We love ours dipped in some Jack Daniels barbecue sauce or hot sauce, sometimes blue cheese dressing on the side, and feel free to use your own dipping sauce your family prefers.
If you have had the pleasure of the crispiest chicken ever bursting with fantastic flavors, then you will love Mom's recipe for a cornflake coating.
You can rest assured that everyone you serve these to will ask you for the recipe and what that marvelous-tasting coating is on the chicken!
This homemade cornflake-coated chicken recipe will surely bring back a little nostalgia about when simple vintage cooking recipes were popular.
The kids will always ask for this version and I usually have to make a double batch.
Cornflake Coated Chicken
Yield: 30
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
This vintage recipe for cornflake-coated crunchy chicken is made with boneless chicken breast with either air-fried, baked, or fried instructions.
Ingredients
- 5 cups crushed cornflakes (about 3 cups whole cornflakes)
- 1 cup of buttermilk (HOMEMADE QUICK BUTTERMILK: 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar or lemon juice plus enough milk to measure 1 cup. Stir, then let sit for 5 minutes)
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons granulated garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 6 large pieces of bone-in chicken (use what even part or an assortment your family prefers) Note: The recipe can be doubled. Also, boneless chicken can be used however cooking times will vary. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the chicken is 165 degrees in the thickest part.
- Garnish: salt and pepper to taste and dipping sauce of choice
- Note: Alternative: Dip in 2 cups of seasoned flour instead of buttermilk, then 2 egg beaten then cornflakes
- See the recipe for the mayonnaise version in the photo in the body above of this post
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking casserole dish with parchment paper to fit a 13 x 9 pan or bigger to accommodate the chicken pieces.
- Place a baking casserole pan (13 x 9 inches) in the oven with 1/4 cup (or more if needed for more than the recipe calls for with chicken parts) of butter to melt.
- While the butter is melting, add the chicken parts to the buttermilk in a large bowl to fit.
- Remove the pan from the oven when the butter has melted.
- In a plastic locking bag, (or pie plate) add the CRUSHED cornflakes and season with all spices listed then mix.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the buttermilk coat on both sides (do this twice)
- Make another batch of seasoned crushed cornflake coating for a thicker coating.
- Add the chicken to the melted buttered baking pan ( or oil can be used).
- I dot a little butter on each one also.
- Bake for around 25 minutes, turn the chicken oven carefully and continue baking for another 35 minutes to 40 minutes depending on how crispy you prefer it and it the chicken in the center of the thickest parts reads 165 degrees
- Fried Chicken the Old Fashioned Way:
- Heat oil in a frying pan or a deep electric fryer and fry for 4 minutes on eat side or until the thickest part reaches 165 degrees using a meat thermometer.
- Air Fry: Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees. Spray the basket when heated.
- Add a single-layered coated chicken and spray them with cooking oil spray.
- Air fry for 10 minutes on each side turning once. Check with a meat thermometer to ensure the thickest part is 165 degrees for completion of cooking.
- Baked: Place the chicken on the cookie sheet (I line it with parchment paper drizzled lightly with melted butter, oil, or cooking spray).
- Note: add the coated chicken in a single layer.
- Spray with cooking oil on each piece.
- Bake at 400 degrees for around 25 minutes turning once and using the meat thermometer as recommended above to check the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
Notes
Other Meats to Use
- Pork chops
- Cube steaks
- Boneless sirloin
- Chicken wings
- Bone-in chicken any parts
- Venison tenderloin
- Note: cooking times will vary depending on the thickness and kind of meat you use to refer to a meat thermometer for accurate doneness
Tips
- For diabetes substitute crushed pork rinds
- For flour, allergies substitute almond flour or gluten-free flour
- Organic chicken has the best texture
- Use any parts of the chicken boneless or bone-in (wings are great with this coating)
- For a thicker batter coating double dip the egg then cornflakes
- Boneless steak, pork, and venison can be substituted for chicken
- Cooking Methods:
- For Baking: Place the chicken on the cookie sheet (I line it with parchment paper and drizzle lightly with oil or cooking spray), then lightly spray the chicken pieces. Bake at 400 degrees in a preheated oven, for 25 minutes.
- For Air Frying: Spray the basket with cooking oil. Place in the basket. Air fry for 10 minutes on each side turning once at 400 degrees or cook until golden browned.
- Refer to the recipe card for internal temperature using a meat thermometer
- salt and pepper to taste
Nutrition Facts
Calories
330.51Fat (grams)
18.61Sat. Fat (grams)
3.29Carbs (grams)
34.9Fiber (grams)
1.41Net carbs
33.49Sugar (grams)
3.78Protein (grams)
7.44Sodium (milligrams)
382.51Cholesterol (grams)
21.79
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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2022.
