Oven-Fried Picnic Chicken with Lemon Zest & Herbed Panko
With all of those sunny holidays on the horizon, my thoughts turn to picnics, and then jump straight to chicken. Here we have the ultimate crispy picnic chicken – not fried, but baked in the oven which is so much easier. I’m a big fan of panko breadcrumbs, but by themselves can be a little on the bland side. What to do? Jazz it up, of course – we add tons of fresh lemon zest, garlic, and a literal ton of herbs, then blend the whole works in the food processor until they form a small, crunchy crumb. I’ve thrown out the option for you to brine the chicken, but feel free to skip it if you want. But I think chicken breast really benefit from a dip in brining liquid to ensure they keep nice and moist. The chicken is dipped in a mustardy Dijon concoction., and then dredged generously in the herbed panko. The result is crunchy on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside, and bursting with lemon and herbs. Eat them with your hands – it’s a picnic, after all.
Ingredients
- 3 large chicken breasts
- FOR THE BRINE Optional
- 2 quarts cold water
- ½ cup salt
- FOR THE DIP BEFORE BREADING
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 1 – 2 generous tablespoons Dijon mustard
- FOR THE PANKO
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- Zest of 1 large lemon or two, if you want a really lemony experience
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 tsp. table salt optional if you brine the chicken
- Generous pinch cayenne pepper add more if you like a spicier kick
- 1 cup fresh herbs coarsely chopped (I used chives, marjoram, thyme and oregano – use as much of each as you like) OR 2 generous tablespoons of a dried herb blend of your choice
- Paprika for dusting
Instructions
- TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN AND BRINE
- Remove skin and cut large breasts into two to three pieces (I usually cut into two pretty large pieces and save the little ends for snacking or for kids)
- Dissolve salt into water, and add chicken parts. Refrigerate for one hour, then drain off the brine and rinse the chicken in cold water. Refrigerate until ready to use. PS: Sometimes I do this part the day before so I can get it out of the way and move on to more fun stuff.
- FOR THE DIP BEFORE BREADING
- In a pie dish or other shallow dish, pour in buttermilk and add Dijon mustard. Whisk together with a fork.
- FOR THE PANKO
- In a food processor, combine the panko, lemon zest, garlic, salt (if you didn’t brine the chicken), cayenne pepper, and herbs. Process until the panko is in very small crumbs, and the scent of lemon and herbs is very strong. Place in a pie dish or other shallow dish.
- TO PREPARE THE CHICKEN
- Take each piece of chicken, dredge in the buttermilk/mustard mixture, then roll in the breadcrumbs until thoroughly coated.
- Place the chicken on a wire rack that has been sprayed with kitchen spray, and set the rack on a cookie sheet that has been covered in foil.
- Dust with paprika and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, or until a thermometer inserted into the chicken reads 165 degrees.
- Allow to cool on the rack and chow down, or allow to come to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to pack up and hit the road to the picnic.
