Oven Baked {Fried} Chicken with Potato Fries and Savory Gravy

Cooking for my family is one of my favorite things to do, especially when it is a version of some seriously good comfort food! I love me so good fried chicken but the process of frying it actually intimates me a bit so I never make it at home. Instead I always leave it to the professionals and enjoy some good fried chicken at one of our favorite restaurants that is KNOWN for their fried chicken (and they completely live up to their reputation too!)

But still I wanted to be able to bring that crunchy, textured, flavorful chicken to my dinner table without having to actually fry anything in oil so a few years ago when I came across the idea of baking instead of frying yet still getting that same crunchy texture and flavor, I was hooked!

Oven Baked {Fried} Chicken is the perfect way to get the crunch, texture and flavor of a traditional fried chicken but it is MUCH healthier and even gluten free too! For all of you out there who are also intimated of frying foods and want to try a healthier option, then this chicken recipe is for you!

Breaded in crumbled up crispy rice cereal with a combination of plain Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard, and seasoned with seasoned salt and black pepper, this Oven Baked {Fried} Chicken is savory, moist and downright delicious. Served alone or paired with the BEST potato fries and savory gravy, this meal will be a family favorite for years to come.

Here is what you’ll need:

For the Chicken:

2 cups crispy rice cereal (original Chex)
1 Tbsp seasoned salt
1 small container of plain Greek Yogurt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 pound of boneless/skinless chicken breast or thighs
salt and pepper to taste

For the Potato Fries:

4-6 medium Russet Potatoes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 1 tsp ground black pepper
Parsley to sprinkle

For the Savory Gravy:

3 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp Brown Spicy Mustard
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp steak seasoning
2 cups chicken stock
Parsley to sprinkle

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a baking rack on top. Spray the rack with non-stick cooking spray. (I forgot to take a picture but if you scroll down to Step 4 you will see a picture before the baking sheet goes into the oven.) In a large gallon sized zip-lock baggie pour the cereal in and seal tightly. Using a meat mallet or small pot, crush the cereal into small crumbs. Open and add seasoned salt and pepper to taste. Close the bag and shake to mix well. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large shallow bowl mix the Greek yogurt and the Dijon mustard together to form a creamy paste.

Step 3: Add the chicken and turn to coat then transfer to the baggie and seal tightly.

Step 4: Shake the bag to coat the chicken well. Remove the chicken and line on the baking rack. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste before cooking. Bake until the chicken is crisp and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees when inserted into the thickest part, about 30 minutes.

Step 5: For the Potatoes, spray a large rimmed baking sheet. Wash the potatoes and dry. Cut each potato into 12 wedges (cut in half and each half cut 6 wedges). In a large bowl combine the oil, potatoes and spices. Toss to coat. Spread evenly onto the baking sheet and sprinkle with the parsley. Bake in a 475 degree oven (you can use the same oven as the chicken).

Step 6: For the Gravy, heat a medium sauce pan over medium to medium-high heat. Melt the butter then whisk in the flour and cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in mustard, Worcestershire sauce, steak seasoning and stock.

Step 7: Let gravy thicken over the course of about 5 minutes. Taste and add additional salt or pepper to taste. Pour into individual ramekins, sprinkle with parsley and serve alongside potato fries and chicken for dipping.

Gravy Making 101: To make the best gravy it is very important to have all your ingredients measured out and ready to go! Once the butter melts and you whisk in the flour, you have to almost immediately add in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and stock. I have learned my lesson over the years in the importance of having all my gravy ingredients ready to go, trust me on this 🙂

Also if you wanted to make this meal completely gluten free you can use arrowroot powder instead of flour in the gravy.

You can cook both the fries and the chicken in the same oven. I have a double oven but I use one of the ovens to cook Southern Style biscuits and the other oven to cook both the fries and the chicken. I also place the chicken on the bottom rack furthest away from the heating element so the crispy rice breading doesn’t burn while the chicken is cooking.

These beauty’s are amazing and delicious. Sometimes I like to double the batch to cut up and freeze so I always have some crispy chicken strips ready to go for salad toppings or when I don’t have leftovers to serve for lunch.

Even my kids love this meal! To make it a well balanced meal, I serve with a simple green salad and some sliced fruit. There is no fighting to get my kids to finish their plates because they devour it! And I’m sure your family will too 🙂

What is your favorite rendition of southern style comfort food?