As always, my food photography leaves something to be desired… but don’t let that discount this AMAZING recipe! My mom made this recipe all the time when I was growing up! I’m pretty sure she got it from the Junior League of Austin cookbook. She included it in a recipe book she made for me about a decade ago, and I recently rediscovered it. I made it for the first time in several years at the beginning of quarantine, and I am obsessed! It is so easy to prepare and is so moist and flavorful. I’ve made it like eight times since March, I kid you not.

Just a few notes before jumping into the recipe! You definitely don’t have to bread the chicken in this recipe – you can simply marinate the chicken per the instructions below and then bake or grill it for a slightly lighter version. Still so tasty! The other thing I want to mention is the texture – since this isn’t *actually* fried, don’t expect the chicken to be crispy like actual fried chicken. The coating is meant to be softer! Trust me when I say this will become an instant classic in your house. I love pairing it with a kale salad and some cous cous, but it would be delicious with practically any side you can think up!

INGREDIENTS

1 chicken, quartered or 2-4 chicken breasts (I typically do thinner chicken breasts)

for the marinade

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel

for breading

Depending on how many chicken breasts you have, you may want to double this part!

• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and coat a large pyrex with non-stick spray.
2. Combine chicken with marinade ingredients in a zip lock to marinate. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more (the longer the better – I’d suggest at least four hours)!
3. Combine breading ingredients in a separate zip lock bag.
4. Add chicken to breading bag one piece at a time to coat, saving marinade.
5. Arrange breaded chicken on pyrex dish, then drizzle chicken with some of the leftover marinade.
6. Bake in oven uncovered until done – cooking time will depend on thickness/cut of chicken! If you’re using chicken breasts that aren’t super thick, 35 minutes should do it.
7. Serve with sides of your choice! You can also garnish with lemon slices and parsley if you want.