Cornbread Crusted Chicken Recipe

This cornbread crusted chicken is crispy, tangy, and straight-up comforting. Soaked in buttermilk and ranch, then coated with cornbread mix and baked ‘til golden. It’s cheap, cozy, and perfect when you’re too tired to deal with frying.

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Quick Summary

• Prep time: 10 mins (plus marinate time)
• Cook time: 40 mins
• Flavor: crunchy, herby, a little spicy
• Great for: weeknight dinners, leftover lunches, feeding picky eaters

Why I Like This Recipe

I was low-key exhausted and just wanted something crispy without frying. Had a box of cornbread mix and some chicken hanging around, so… yeah. Threw it together, popped it in the oven, and it came out way better than expected. Ranch + cornbread = weirdly magic.

Ingredients

Chicken Marinade

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 packets (1 oz each) ranch dressing mix
• 1 whole chicken (cut into pieces, 3–3½ lbs)

Cornbread Breading

• 1 pouch (6.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ Cornbread & Muffin Mix
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp seasoned salt
• ⅛ tsp cayenne (more if you want heat)

Other

• Cooking spray
• Fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)

How To Make Cornbread Crusted Chicken

1. Marinate the chicken: Toss chicken, buttermilk, and ranch packets in a zip bag. Seal it up and chill at least an hour — overnight’s better.
2. Prep your pan: Heat oven to 425°F. Spray a big sheet pan (15×10 works).
3. Bread it: Mix all the breading stuff in a shallow bowl. Pull chicken from the marinade, dredge each piece, coat fully, shake off extra.
4. Lay it down: Skin/bone side down in the pan. Spray the tops lightly.
5. Bake it: 35–40 mins or until the thickest part hits temp (170°F for breasts, 180°F for thighs).
6. Garnish: Add parsley if you’re feelin’ fancy. Or don’t.

Tips for Success

• Let the chicken marinate longer if you’ve got time — flavor gets deeper.
• Don’t skip the spray on top — helps the crust crisp up.
• Go bone-in for better flavor, but boneless works too.
• Use a wire rack on your pan if you want max crisp.

Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: Cool first, then store in a sealed container. Good for 3–4 days.
• Oven: Reheat at 300°F until warm and crispy again — like 10–15 mins.
• Microwave: Works, but loses crunch.
• Freezer: Yup, freeze cooked chicken. Wrap it up tight. Reheat from frozen in oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I use boneless chicken? Totally. Just adjust the baking time — less thick = less time.
• What if I don’t have ranch mix? Season the buttermilk with garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs.
• Too spicy for kids? Skip the cayenne. Easy fix.
• What sides go with this? Mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw — all the classics.
• Can I air fry it? Haven’t tried it, but should work. Just spray it well and lower the temp a bit.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

• Marinating too short. One hour’s minimum. Overnight = more flavor, more tenderness.
• Not coating evenly. Press the breading on a bit to make sure it sticks.
• Crowding the pan. Give the chicken space so it bakes up crispy.
• Forgetting the spray. That extra oil on top makes the crust crunchy instead of dusty.
• Checking temp too early. Let it ride the full bake — pulling it too soon leaves it soggy.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 610
• Total Fat: 23g
• Saturated Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 135mg
• Sodium: 820mg
• Potassium: 540mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 51g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugars: 2g
• Protein: 49g