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My mum’s crispy crumbed chicken is famous for a reason. The breadcrumbs are homemade, we use garlic in our egg wash that creates a subtle garlic flavour throughout and a light olive oil is used for shallow frying the chicken as it creates that lovely golden colour and crispy crunch.
This crumbed chicken can be used for so many meals from a crumbed chicken sandwich, chicken parma to a crispy chicken salad or chicken nuggets for the kids. It’s extremely versatile and I can guarantee, it will be the only crumbed chicken recipe you will ever need.
I know it can be so easy to resort to pre-made or panko breadcrumbs but these homemade breadcrumbs are truly worth it. They are simplicity at its best with only three ingredients needed to make them. A whole bunch of parsley and a touch of fresh rosemary is blended together with stale bread.
This results in a breadcrumb that is chunky and the most lovely green colour. Be sure to use the crust of the bread when making your breadcrumbs as it’s those chunky pieces that create the crispiest layer.
It’s important the bread you are using is not fresh and is several days old or has been slightly dried out as fresh bread will be too moist resulting in a breadcrumb that doesn’t stick to your chicken. I can ensure you that you will not find breadcrumbs like this at the grocer!
This crispy crumbed chicken is the ultimate meal to make in bulk and store in the freezer. I use one whole sandwich loaf to create enough breadcrumbs to make up to 2kg of crumbed chicken.
Once the chicken has been crumbed, immediately individually wrap each piece in plastic wrap to avoid the breadcrumbs from going soggy and place into the freezer. It can be stored for up to 3 months.
At first glance, you may think that this recipe lacks seasoning however, it’s the simplicity of this recipe that makes it so special and extremely flavoursome. The rosemary and parsley create beautiful fresh flavours in the breadcrumb, the garlic in the egg wash is subtle yet notable and the chicken is seasoned with salt and pepper.
Trust me when I say no other seasoning is needed and every bite will be a flavour explosion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What doIdo if my bread is fresh?
It’s important that you do not use fresh bread to make the breadcrumbs as they will be too moist and won’t stick to your chicken or be crispy when frying them. If you buy your bread the day before making this recipe, lay them out onto baking trays and leave them on your kitchen bench overnight.
The air will dry out the bread. If you have bought your bread the day of making this recipe, lightly toast them in your toaster and leave them to cool down before working with them.
Can I use dried herbs?
I don’t recommend using dry herbs for this recipe. As there are few ingredients that are used to make the breadcrumbs, it’s important fresh herbs are used to create that lovely flavour and colour.
What do I do if I don’t have a processor?
The breadcrumbs can also be made in a blender however, be careful to not over blend them into a fine texture. The chunky texture is one of the elements that make these breadcrumbs so special.
How do I store the remainder of the chicken?
Individually wrap each piece of breaded chicken into plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. It’s important the chicken is wrapped immediately to avoid the breadcrumbs from going soggy. When you are ready to use the chicken, take it our of the freezer and leave to defrost.
Why do you use olive oil for shallow frying?
I use a light olive oil to shallow fry as it creates a lovely flavour and colour throughout the chicken. If you don’t want to shallow fry with olive oil, I reccomend using grapeseed oil or a mix of light olive oil and grapeseed.
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If you have any questions or would like to leave a review, please do so here! I always love answering your food and recipe related questions and hearing your feedback on my recipes.
Crispy Crumbed Chicken
5 from 3 votes
The most delicious cispy crumbed chicken made with homemade breadcrumbs.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time:30 minutes mins
Cook Time:10 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Keyword: breadcrumbs, crispy crumbed chicken, fried chicken
Servings: 15
Ingredients
- 2 kg chicken breast
- 1 white sandwich loaf
- 4 eggs
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup white all purpose flour
- 1 tsp flakey sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary
- olive oil
Instructions
If your bread is fresh, lay it out onto a baking tray and leave to dry out overnight.
Begin by making your egg wash. In a shallow wide bowl, whisk your eggs, garlic and water together and set to the side. By preparing this early the garlic will have time to release its flavour into the eggs.
Cut the tenderloin off the chicken breast but do not toss away as we will also be crumbing this part. Using a sharp knife, cut through the middle of the chicken breast horizontally so they half in thickness. Let the knife do most of the work, applying a small amount of pressure as the knife glides through crosswise. It’s easiest when you place one hand on top of the chicken breast. Don’t worry if this is not done too evenly! Repeat this step with all the chicken breast.
Place one piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap. Using the smooth side of a mallet, pound the chicken from the centre outwards until the breast is roughly 2cm thick and has an even thickness throughout. This step is to ensure the chicken cooks at an even rate. Set your chicken to the side.
Roughly tear apart your bread and place into a food processor or blender with the parsley and rosemary. Blend until the bread is still quite chunky and the herbs have been mixed through. We aren’t looking for a fine and crumbly texture with this breadcrumb as its those chunky crusty parts that make the breadcrumb extra special. If you are using a small blender you will need to do this step in batches. Place your breadcrumbs into a large bowl.
In a shallow wide bowl, whisk together the flour and salt and then set up your dredging station. Begin with your flour, followed by the egg wash, followed by the breadcrumbs and then finished with a large clean plate or tray to place the crumbed chicken in.
Take one chicken breast and coat both sides evenly with the flour. Then place into the egg wash and coat both sides evenly. Lastly, place into the breadcrumb mixture applying pressure with your hands when you flip the chicken over to ensure the breadcrumbs are evenly coated all over. Place the chicken breast onto the clean plate and then repeat this step with the remainder of the chicken.
In a large frying pan, add a very generous amount of olive oil until its about 2 - 3cm deep in the pan. Bring the olive oil to heat. You can check if the olive oil is hot enough by placing a wooden skewer into it and seeing if bubble forms around the skewer. Turn the heat down to low - medium and fry 1 - 2 pieces of chicken at a time for 2 - 3 minutes on each side or until they are golden and crispy. It’s best to test out one piece of chicken to make sure your cook time and heat levels are accurate. Remember your chicken will continue to cook when you take it off the heat so take it off a few seconds before you feel it’s ready. Place the cooked chicken onto a plate lined with absorbent paper or cooling rack.
