Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw

Yes, you can make lighter, healthier fried chicken and keep the flavor! Make this oven fried chicken recipe with crispy seasoned cornflake coating and honey mustard apple slaw!

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw - Lighten fried chicken and keep the flavor! Make this oven fried chicken recipe with crispy seasoned cornflake coating and honey mustard apple slaw!

I’m pretty certain this isn’t the association I’m supposed to have with fried chicken, but whenever I even consider it, I can’t help but think of my friend Gina. The woman is just in love with fried chicken, and I’m right there with her. Just last week, we were out to lunch with friends at one of my favorite restaurants in Manhattan, Momofuku Ma Peche – a stand-out Asian spot known for its pork buns and rice cakes (among a dozen other things) – and there on the menu, within seconds of browsing, she found her favorite, “Habanero fried chicken with lime?” Done.

[Send napkins.]

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw - Lighten fried chicken and keep the flavor! Make this oven fried chicken recipe with crispy seasoned cornflake coating and honey mustard apple slaw!

Today, I’m revisiting fried chicken with a recipe that packs in a whole lot of flavor, thanks in part to Old Bay! – and creates a perfectly crispy-crunchy coating.

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw - Lighten fried chicken and keep the flavor! Make this oven fried chicken recipe with crispy seasoned cornflake coating and honey mustard apple slaw!

My oven fried chicken uses both breasts and thighs. I prefer the thighs because they have more flavor and are generally more tender, but dark meat isn’t everyone’s favorite, so making both is a good compromise. Marinating the chicken beforehand in buttermilk is helpful in tenderizing and boosting juiciness. As for coating the chicken, I chose cereal! Crushed cornflakes give the chicken such a perfectly crispy-crunchy coating, and a little Old Bay thrown into the mix adds flavor in spades.

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw - Lighten fried chicken and keep the flavor! Make this oven fried chicken recipe with crispy seasoned cornflake coating and honey mustard apple slaw!

I’m pairing the chicken with a Honey Mustard Apple Slaw for a cool, refreshing side. It’s sweet, creamy, and creamy, made with a little bit of buttermilk and nonfat Greek yogurt to keep it light.

*Update: A comment below got me thinking, this slaw could easily be made without dairy! Just replace the slaw’s buttermilk and greek yogurt with 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (total), add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and keep the remaining slaw ingredients as is (honey, mustard, etc.)!

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw - Lighten fried chicken and keep the flavor! Make this oven fried chicken recipe with crispy seasoned cornflake coating and honey mustard apple slaw!

Altogether, this is comfort, my friends. Lightened-up comfort, but still comfort, so enjoy!

Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw

You are going to love this crispy chicken!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Marinading time1 hour
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: apple slaw recipe, cornflake chicken recipe, oven fried chicken recipe
Servings: 6 Servings
Calories: 294.4kcal

Ingredients

Oven Fried Chicken:

  • 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts ( 3 4-ounce breasts)
  • 12 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs (3 4-ounce thighs)
  • 1 cup low-fat buttermilk
  • 1 ¼ cups crushed whole grain corn flakes cereal
  • 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Honey Mustard Apple Slaw:

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons low-fat buttermilk start with 2 tablespoons, add a 3rd if needed for moisture
  • ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 14 ounce bag coleslaw mix (or 16-ounce )
  • 1 sweet red apple cored and finely chopped (recommended: Pink Lady or Honeycrisp)

Instructions

  • For the honey mustard apple slaw, in a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, yogurt, honey, mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir in the coleslaw mix and apple. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The mild acidity of the yogurt and buttermilk will cause the cabbage (the coleslaw mix) to soften and wilt, therefore releasing a good amount of its moisture. Toss the slaw thoroughly before serving, and feel free to drain any thin liquid that has pooled in the bowl before serving if you make it ahead of time!
  • In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the chicken breasts and thighs with the buttermilk, tossing to coat all of the chicken. Seal the bag and refrigerate, turning the bag once or twice if you can, for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Set a wire cooling rack on top of a large rimmed baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.
  • In a large shallow dish, stir to combine the corn flakes, Old Bay, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, shaking off the excess. Discard the buttermilk. Dredge each piece of chicken in the cereal mixture, turning to coat both sides. Place the chicken breast on the prepared wire rack. Repeat the coating process with the remaining chicken pieces. Spray the chicken well with oil. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until crispy, golden brown, and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.
  • Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and serve 1 piece of chicken (1 breast or 1 thigh) with about ½ cup slaw.

Notes

Nutrition Information for 1 Chicken Breast + 1/2 cup Slaw (as per nutritional card):
Calories 249.4, Total Fat 6.5g, Sat Fat g, Cholesterol 74.8mg, Carb 20.6g, Fiber 1.6g, Sugars 11.9g, Protein 25.7g
Nutrition Information for 1 Chicken Thigh + 1/2 cup Slaw:
Calories 253.4, Total Fat 7.7g, Sat Fat 0.7g, Cholesterol 94.8mg, Carb 20.6g, Fiber 1.6g, Sugars 11.9g, Protein 26g
Nutrition Information for 1 Oven Fried Chicken Breast (WITHOUT Slaw):
Calories 172.9, Total Fat 3g, Sat Fat 0.1g, Cholesterol 73.1mg, Carb 9.5g, Fiber 0.4g, Sugars 2.3g, Protein 25.3g
Nutrition Information for 1 Oven Fried Chicken Thigh (WITHOUT Slaw):
Calories 176.9, Total Fat 4.2g, Sat Fat 0.1g, Cholesterol 93.1mg, Carb 9.5g, Fiber 0.4g, Sugars 2.3g, Protein 25.6g
Nutrition Information for a Heaping 1/2 cup Slaw ONLY:
Calories 76.5, Total Fat 3.5g, Sat Fat 0.6g, Cholesterol 1.7mg, Carb 11.1g, Fiber 1.2g, Sugars 9.6g, Protein 0.4g

Nutrition

Calories: 294.4kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.6g | Protein: 25.7g | Fat: 6.5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74.8mg | Sodium: 459mg | Potassium: 685mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 11.9g | Vitamin A: 445IU | Vitamin C: 65.3mg | Calcium: 117mg | Iron: 3.1mg

photos by Ashley McLaughlin Photography

Share:

Subscribe!

26 thoughts on “Cornflake Oven Fried Chicken with Honey Mustard Apple Slaw

    1. Andie Mitchell Post author

      Good question! I haven’t tried it, but I’d say: replace the buttermilk and greek yogurt with 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and add 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar. Keep the honey for a little sweetness, and of course, the dijon, salt, and pepper! Should be a good swap!

      Reply
  1. Alyssa

    Only slightly of topic, but when I was in NYC in February, my boyfriend and I went to Momofuku Noodle Bar and had the brisket buns… talk about insanely delicious. I’m still dreaming of them.

    Reply
  2. Kate

    Cornflake chicken takes me back! My grandma’s friend would always make it when we went to her house. Now I’m going to make this for my kiddos. Thanks!

    Reply
  3. Wendy

    Made this on repeat. I made mine with chicken thighs. I used the leftovers for a great protein for lunchtime salads. And the coleslaw was terrific. Nice crunch.

    Reply
  4. Susan Key

    I tried this last Saturday, and it is delish! An actual oven fried recipe that is crispy, but not greasy. I am going to try the coating on other things, such as fish, or pork. Yum.

    Reply
  5. Fatimah

    I love this recipe! I’ve constantly been trying to find the perfect oven-fried “fried chicken” recipe, but most of them turn out soggy because they use breadcrumbs. I really like the cornflakes as an alternative and I think they’ll be even better at simulating that trademark fried chicken crunch. I’ll also be trying the dairy-free version for my lactose intolerant family members, so thank you for including that substitution! I think I would try this cut up in a soft taco or on a ciabatta bun as a sandwich instead. The pictures make this even more irresistible so I can’t wait to make this!

    Reply
  6. Laura

    This sounds delicious and reminds me of your recipe for Crispy Buffalo Chicken Tenders which is now one of my regulars (which I made last night!) Just wondering how much onion powder to use–I saw that listed in your recipe instructions but not in the ingredient list. Would it be the same as the amount of garlic powder? Thanks!

    Reply
  7. Pingback: 15 Ways to Think Outside the Cereal Box During Your National Cereal Day Celebrations [March 7]

Leave a Reply to Andie Mitchell Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.