This Healthy Fried Chicken is baked instead of fried without breadcrumbs, cereal, oil, or flour. It comes out so crispy outside and juicy inside, you will want to sink in your teeth immediately.

This is just one of several healthy chicken dishes I make including healthy chicken alfredo, healthy chicken parmesan, and healthy chicken pot pie casserole!

Oven Fried Chicken

I came up with my own version of the best healthy fried chicken! Just ask my kids. The breading for the chicken is made with healthy ingredients. Instead of traditional breadcrumbs and cereal I use a mix of coconut flakes, almonds and simple pantry staple spices. The result is the most crispy oven-fried chicken ever (for when baked chicken breast or air fryer chicken drumsticks with no breading just won’t cut it!!)

Even though I’ve spent tons of time in the kitchen making almond flour recipes for baked goods, who knew it would work amazing for savory uses too. In fact, I’ve used it for almond-crusted chicken and healthy chicken nuggets, too- it’s so delicious!

And it’s simple and easy enough for a weeknight dinner or make it for a picnic with healthy macaroni salad. You do not have to marinate chicken in buttermilk beforehand.

Ingredients for Healthy Fried Chicken

Bone in chicken with skin on: This recipe calls for chicken drumsticks or thighs. If using both, make sure to check on doneness of each kind and one might have to be removed sooner than the other from the oven. I do not recommend using boneless chicken as it will come out dry, try air fryer chicken tenders with panko instead!
Coconut flakes: For this recipe, it is important to use short coconut flakes (as I have with this coconut-crusted chicken). They stick to the chicken better. If you have long coconut flakes, just give them a few pulses in a blender or food processor. No substitutes. Using all almond flour and baking it for such long time will burn the coating before chicken is cooked through.
Almond meal or almond flour: Almond meal is finely ground almonds. You can buy almond meal or make your own by pulsing raw almonds in a food processor or blender. Almond flour is almonds without skin ground up into flour. I tested both products in this recipe. No changes in taste or crispiness. Yay!
Spices: Garlic powder, dried oregano, salt and pepper. That’s all you need. I do not like to make recipes complicated for no reason.
Eggs: Act as “a glue” for coating, no substitutes.

bowl of flour, coconut flakes and seasoning, and a bowl of eggs

How to Make Healthy Fried Chicken

There is a full recipe card below.

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Make sure to spray the wire rack lightly with cooking spray or brush with oil.
Form dredging station: Mix coconut flakes, almond meal or flour, garlic powder, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork and set aside.
Dredge the chicken: First, dip a drumstick in the egg mixture, then dredge the drumstick in the coating. Repeat this process one more time! Place breaded chicken on the wire rack.

“Fry” chicken in the oven: Bake for 40-45 minutes. The coating will become crispy brown. But don’t worry, it will not burn!
Enjoy: Serve immediately for the best oven fried chicken ever!

Tips for Fried Chicken

There are a few instructions you must follow for crispy chicken! Don’t skip!

Bake on a wire rack: Heat circulates around coated chicken baking it evenly on all sides. Think of a convection oven with a fan – same idea. Plus you won’t have to flip the chicken. Speaking of convection oven – check out my air fryer chicken breast! (you could air fry this fried chicken, too!)
Oil the rack: You have to spray even a non-stick wire rack with cooking spray or brush with a brush dipped in oil.
Dredge twice: Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then in coating and repeat one more time. It creates a thicker, crispy crust.
Remove carefully: Once chicken is baked, don’t just grab it off the rack. You risk leaving a chunk of crispy coating behind. Instead, let the chicken cool for a few minutes. Using a butter knife or spatula, push the chicken off from underneath the rack. Crispy coating in every bite guaranteed!:)
You have to use both coconut flakes and almonds: Using only one will result in either soggy coating or burnt coating.
Make chicken spicy: For a heat kick, add a pinch of cayenne pepper to dry coating mix. You might also like this cajun chicken recipe.

How to Serve and Store Healthy Fried Chicken

Serving. Here is a list of side dishes I made/would make while the chicken is baking in the oven:

Mashed potatoes: Chicken and potatoes are a match made in heaven! Try these creamy mashed potatoes.
Salad: A fresh salad like cucumber and tomato salad or potato salad. Or check out my full list of healthy salads.
Grains: Any fans of big chicken chain restaurants will know that chicken and rice/grains are made for one another. Brown rice, Instant Pot rice and beans or Mexican cauliflower rice.
Vegetables: Roasted cauliflower, air fryer brussels sprouts, or healthy broccoli salad.
Dipping sauces: Fried chicken can be served with hot sauce, healthy honey mustard dressing, healthy ranch dressing, peanut sauce or even ketchup.

Store: Leftover fried chicken should be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Unfortunately, the chicken will not be quite as “crispy” when reheated.

More Healthy Chicken Recipes

You may also be interested in browsing through my full list of chicken recipes!