Cornflake Crusted Chicken
Chicken pieces are marinated in your favorite Italian dressing and then coated with seasoned cornflake crumbs and baked to crispy perfection.
Cornflake crusted chicken is a nostalgic, family-friendly recipe that delivers big flavor with minimal effort. The Italian dressing marinade tenderizes the chicken while adding tangy seasoning, and the crushed cornflakes bake into a golden, crunchy coating. Rolling chicken in cornflakes has been popular since the 1950s!
It’s a great alternative to fried chicken and works with any bone-in chicken pieces you have on hand. The melted butter is optional, but it does help the coating crisp and brown beautifully in the oven.
What You’ll Like About This Dish
Crunchy coating. Cornflakes bake into a crisp, golden crust without frying.
Simple prep. Marinate, coat, bake — that’s it.
Customizable seasoning. Italian dressing + herbs adds tons of flavor.
Great for weeknights. Hands-off oven time makes it easy.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken pieces – Bone-in thighs, drumsticks, or breasts all work well.
- Italian salad dressing – Adds tang and seasoning while tenderizing the meat.
- Cornflake crumbs – Give the chicken a crisp, crunchy coating.
- Italian herb blend – Boosts the flavor in the crumb mixture.
- Garlic powder – Adds aromatic depth.
- Butter – Optional but helps with browning and crispness.
Steps to Make Cornflake Crusted Chicken
- Marinate the chicken in Italian dressing.
- Preheat the oven and line a baking pan.
- Combine the cornflake crumbs and seasonings.
- Coat the chicken pieces thoroughly in the crumb mixture.
- Arrange on the pan and drizzle with butter if using.
- Bake until the chicken is cooked through and crisp.
Tips
- Crush whole cornflakes in a bag with a rolling pin if you don’t have packaged crumbs.
- Shake off excess marinade so the coating sticks better.
- Use a wire rack on the baking sheet for extra-crispy chicken.
- Bake similar-size pieces together for even cooking.
Recipe Variations
- Use panko instead. A good option if you’re out of cornflakes.
- Make it spicy. Add cayenne, chipotle powder, or hot paprika to the crumbs.
- Swap the marinade. Ranch, Caesar, or vinaigrette all work well.
- Add Parmesan. Stir grated Parmesan into the crumb mixture.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve with mashed potatoes, rice, mac and cheese, or roasted vegetables.
- Pair with a crisp garden salad or coleslaw.
- Add dipping sauces like honey mustard or ranch.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or lemon wedges.
How to Store
Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The coating softens slightly but reheats well.
Freeze: Not recommended. Cornflake coatings tend to become soggy and lose crispness after freezing and thawing.
Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven or air fryer to restore crispness.
Cornflake Crusted Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 cup Italian salad dressing
- 3 to 4 pounds chicken
- 1 1/2 cups corn flake crumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Italian herb blend
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted, optional
Instructions
- Put the salad dressing in a large nonreactive bowl or food storage bag. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- Line a large rimmed baking pan with foil.
- Mix cornflake crumbs with the salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning blend; coat chicken pieces with crumb mixture.
- Arrange the chicken pieces in the pan. Drizzle some melted butter over each piece, if using.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches 165 F on a food thermometer.
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
