This recipe for cornflake chicken is strips of chicken breast coated in seasoned crushed cornflakes and baked to crispy perfection. These chicken fingers are easy to make and are a big hit with both kids and adults!
When I’m looking for a dinner option I know my family will happily eat, I turn to slow cooker whole chicken, spaghetti and meatballs, and this easy cornflake chicken.
When I was growing up, one of my favorite meals that my mom used to make was cornflake chicken. She’d take whole pieces of chicken and coat them in cornflakes, then bake the chicken. These cornflake chicken tenders are an updated version of that recipe that my mom used to make, and it’s probably no surprise that my kids love them too!
How do you make cornflake chicken?
This recipe starts with boneless skinless chicken breast tenders, which are dipped in a milk and egg mixture, then rolled in seasoned crushed cornflakes. The chicken fingers go into the oven and get baked until golden brown and crispy. Add your favorite side dishes, then serve and enjoy!
Tips for cornflake chicken
- I like to use chicken breast tenders because they cook quickly and they’re already pre-cut which saves on prep time. You can also use this cornflake coating on regular chicken breasts or boneless skinless chicken thighs. If you use larger breasts or thighs, be sure to adjust the bake time accordingly.
- You can crush your cornflakes in the food processor, or simply place them in a resealable plastic bag and use a rolling pin to make coarse crumbs.
- These chicken fingers are best served immediately after they come out of the oven. The cornflake coating will soften in the refrigerator. If you have leftovers, you can warm them in an oven or toaster oven to restore the crispy coating.
- You can vary the spices in the cornflake coating to suit your tastes. I use a blend of smoked paprika, onion powder, sugar, salt and pepper. Other great options include garlic powder or chili powder. You can also substitute in a few teaspoons of my homemade chicken seasoning for the spices listed in the recipe.
How to serve cornflake crusted chicken
This chicken can be served as a main course or as an appetizer. When I serve this dish as an appetizer, I offer up a variety of dipping sauces such as ketchup, honey mustard sauce and ranch dip. When I serve cornflake chicken as an entree, I plate it with a starch and a green vegetable. My favorite starch options include macaroni and cheese, rice pilaf or mashed potatoes. I typically serve green beans, asparagus or broccoli on the side.
This recipe is sure to be a hit with your family – it’s one of the few dinners that everyone eats happily. That combination of tender chicken with crunchy cornflakes just can’t be beat, and it’s a much healthier option than fried chicken.
MORE GREAT CHICKEN RECIPES
- Smoked Chicken Wings
- Slow Cooker Chicken Drumsticks
- Coconut Chicken
- Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Garlic and Herbs
- Korean Fried Chicken
Cornflake Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 pounds chicken tenders or boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into strips
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups cornflakes
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper plus more to taste
- cooking spray
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
- Place the milk and eggs in a bowl; whisk to combine.
- In a food processor pulse together the cornflakes, smoked paprika, onion powder, sugar, salt and pepper until coarse crumbs form.
- Pour the cornflake mixture onto a plate.
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste.
- Dip each chicken piece into the milk mixture, then roll in the cornflakes.
- Place the chicken on the baking sheet in a single layer. Coat the tops of the chicken tenders with cooking spray.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and crispy. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on March 20, 2016 and was updated on August 8, 2019 with new content.
Can you bread the chicken in advance and cook when you get home from work?
I think this would work, but there is a small chance the cornflakes could get soggy.
My folks used to make this when we were kids but instead of using the egg and milk to adhere the Cornflakes, we used mayonnaise. Thanks for this healthier update!
Turned out great! Made a separate batch for my daughter who has a dairy and egg allergy, substituted the milk and eggs with coconut cream and if they still tasted great.
Can these be frozen?
I haven’t tried freezing it, I’d be concerned that the cornflakes might not get crispy again after frozen and thawed!
This is absolutely amazing!! I had some cornflakes my family were not eating so I decided to make this recipe. My family loved it 😃 will be making these again. Thank you!!
The smoked paprika really makes this chicken so zesty! Family favorite recipe now!
I tried it today I actually soaked my chicken in buttermilk first and bypassed the egg went straight to the cornflake, worked out great. My family loved it! Definitely a keeper Thank you
I would enthusiastically encourage Sara and fans to try this but substitute a coating of 50/50 mix of lightly smashed Captain Crunch cereal and Ritz crackers. Leave the parsley out. It’s supposed to be a Planet Hollywood knockoff but I wouldn’t know. Everyone goes crazy for them when I make them! Yum!
Amazing! I made in my air fryer! One of the best recipes I’ve ever used!
My favorite chicken!! I bake in a glass tray at 350 for 25 minutes. No grease.
I have 6 kids feed and will try this. Thank you
SO delish. The smoked paprika was an extra lovely touch! I will say – next time I’ll be adding the cornflake mixture to the plate in batches, as when I dumped it all in at once, the excess became soggy about halfway through rolling the tenders in it, which meant it didn’t stick. A teeny modification to an otherwise SUPER easy and outstandingly yummy dish. 🙂
How long would you bake chicken breast fillets for
20-25 minutes depending on the size and thickness of the chicken.
This is one of my favorite recipes so I thought I would let you know. The kids ask for it all the time. My husband and I also enjoy it. I serve it with different sauces to mix it up a little.
I love your recipe! And I just recently added 1/4 cup of organic cheddar cheese powder to the Corn flake seasonings and it added a cheesy flavor twist !☺️
Love the cornflake recipe! I recently tried this with pork chops in an air fryer. Then I found your Cajun seasoning mix and decided to add that to the pork chops/chicken before I breaded them with the cornflake mixture….TRULY AMAZING! I’ve referred my friends to your site.
I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed your recipe. We loved it! I just wanted to let you know I baked ours in the air fryer (400 degrees, for 15 min.). I could only cook 4 at a time, so it wouldn’t work for a crowd, but for our little family, it worked out just fine. Thank you
Loved this recipe! So easy and delicious! My kiddos gobbled these up! This will definitely be in regular dinner rotation at our house!
Has anyone tried with rice Krispy or any other cereal?
Going to try honey bunches of oats
Can I use garlic powder instead of onion powder?
Yes that’s fine!
This looks great- I definitely want this to be crispy; as I usually use Panko. I thought this would give a different depth of flavor than my normal chicken fingers recipes.
Two questions- Have you tried freezing these for future use? I normally pre-freeze any extra fingers/nuggets for a quick weeknight meal. I just add a few more minutes to the baking time- like you would for store-bought. Would the cornflakes hold up for that??
Also, why the sugar? That was unexpected.
I think it would work to freeze and bake from frozen, but I haven’t tried it myself. If you prefer you can omit the sugar.
My grandson is allergic to milk, eggs, and wheat. so to make this recipe and others, I substitute honey mustard for the milk and eggs and then dip into the cornflakes and bake.
Wow that sounds amazing. I wish I would’ve thought if honey mustard because I love it
I might try that with some dijon.