Shake and Bake Chicken (2024)

Shake and Bake Chicken is a simple dinner classic! With a flavorful crumb coating, any chicken made with shake and bake will be eaten up in no time!

Is there anything homier than Shake and Bake chicken for dinner? Although I grew up eating it occasionally along with fried spaghetti and salmon patties, my husband grew up with eating shake 'n bake all the time.

He loves it, I love it, and it’s just a good tasting time!

Store Bought vs Homemade Shake and Bake?

I am including recipes for both. Sometimes you have the prepackaged shake ‘n bake on hand and other times you just want to whip up the flavorful coating from scratch. Both are tasty and easy to make!

I’ve shared lots of tasty chicken recipes before (like juicy herb butter chicken, beer can chicken, and even chicken lollipops!) but there is something so nostalgic and delicious about this recipe!

What you need for Shake and Bake Chicken:

Chicken: The original recipe is for boneless skinless chicken breast, but you can use thighs or drums too and you can have bone in and skin on if you want!

Shake ’N Bake Original Coating Packet

Parsley

Mayo

Homemade Shake ‘N Bake Coating: Bread Crumbs/Panko, Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Thyme, Paprika, Parsley

Why mayo?

Mayo acts as a binder for the Shake N’ Bake to stick to the chicken and helps the chicken get a little crispy. If you don’t want to use mayo you can use oil or butter instead, but I promise you won’t actually taste the mayo!

How to make Shake and Bake Chicken?

• If you are making your own coating, mix panko, salt, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, pepper, and parsley together in a small bowl, then set aside.

• Coat chicken with mayo then dredge in the Shake N’ Bake coating.

• Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until done.

How long does Shake and Bake take to cook?

Chicken breast needs to come to an internal temperature of 165°F. This will typically take 20-25 minutes at 400°F.

If you are use thighs or drums cook until you reach an internal temperature of 175°F-195°F for the tastiest results. Although they are safe to eat at 165°F, dark meat has more tendons and collagen and the slightly higher temperatures breaks those down.

If you need a good meat thermometer, I love this one! (Thermoworks affiliate link)

Where is the shake in Shake ‘N Bake chicken?

The original recipe had you put the mayo covered chicken in a bag with crumb coating and shake the bag. You can still do this if you want or just dip the chicken in the coating if you don’t.

How to make Shake ‘N Bake chicken crispy?

The secret to crispy chicken is twofold. First patting the chicken dry before adding anything to it. Then using mayo, or oil to help the seasoning adhere to the chicken. The fat in the mayo or oil will help crisp up the outside of the chicken.

Eat the chicken as soon as it's done otherwise the coating starts to soak up some of the cooked chicken juice and can get a little soggy.

How to store leftover Shake and Bake Chicken?

Store leftover chicken in an air tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

If you like this chicken recipe, make sure to check out my smoked spatchock chicken, grilled chicken nuggets, and these tasty chicken strips!

How to reheat Shake and Bake Chicken?

This chicken is best eaten right away but sometimes there are leftovers.

It’s hard to get the original crunch back from leftovers, but heating the chicken up in the oven at 350°F for 10 minutes or until warm is probably the best way to go. Other than that, I like to microwave or pan fry leftover chicken.

This chicken is great eaten cold too! Just toss on a salad or eat plain!

Can you freeze shake and bake chicken?

Yes! Freeze in an airtight container (like a Ziploc baggie) for up to 3 months. You can wrap each piece of chicken individually in foil then freeze in an air tight bag, or flash freeze the chicken and store directly in a zip lock baggie.

When ready to eat, place frozen chicken in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake at 400° for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. It most likely won't be as crispy as made fresh.

Why make your own shake and bake coating?

Some people want less preservatives and extra ingredients in their mixture and so making your own is a great alternative to the store-bought package.

I enjoy eating both versions and so does my husband!

Substitutions

Bread Crumbs: If you don’t have panko, you can use bread crumbs or crushed crackers.

Mayo: Use butter or oil instead.

Chicken: Use any cut of chicken with this coating or try cooking an entire chicken with it!

Pork: Use this coating on pork chops! Just bake them until they have an internal temperature of 145°F.

What to serve with shake and bake chicken?

Serve this up with a side of crispy brussel sprouts, cheesy broccoli, spinach dip, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, or creamed corn!

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