Crispy Baked Cornflake Chicken Strips – Easy Recipe

These Baked Cornflake Chicken Strips are crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside, and incredibly easy to make. Instead of deep-frying, the chicken strips are coated in seasoned crushed cornflakes and baked until golden and crunchy.

The cornflake coating gives these chicken strips a wonderfully crisp texture without the need for deep frying. They are ready in about 40 minutes, making them a great choice for an easy family dinner, lunch, or a fun meal for kids.

You can keep the seasoning simple with salt, pepper, and parsley, or customize the cornflake coating with your favorite herbs and spices. Garlic powder, chili powder, paprika, basil, or Italian herbs would all work well.

Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, roasted potatoes, fries, or a fresh salad. I especially love these chicken strips with homemade chili jam, which adds a sweet and slightly spicy contrast to the crispy chicken.

Why You’ll Love These Baked Chicken Strips

• Crispy without deep frying – the crushed cornflakes create a crunchy coating while the chicken bakes in the oven.
• Tender and juicy inside – cutting the chicken into evenly sized strips helps it cook quickly without drying out.
• Easy to make – coat the chicken and bake; there’s no complicated preparation.
• Ready in 40 minutes – perfect for busy weeknight dinners.
• Kid-friendly – crispy chicken strips are an easy way to make chicken more appealing to kids.
• Easy to customize – change the herbs and spices in the cornflake coating to suit your taste.
• Great with dipping sauces – serve them with chili jam, ranch, honey mustard, barbecue sauce, or your favorite dip.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Salt and black pepper – season the chicken and coating.

Chicken breasts – boneless, skinless chicken breasts work well because they are easy to cut into even strips and cook quickly.

Cornflakes – the secret to the crispy coating. Crush them into small pieces, but don’t turn them into a fine powder; some texture helps create a crunchier crust.

Egg – helps the cornflake coating stick to the chicken.

Flour – gives the chicken a dry coating before it goes into the egg mixture and helps the crust adhere.

Olive oil – mixed with the egg to add a little richness to the coating.

Fresh parsley – adds a fresh herbal flavor to the cornflakes.

How to make baked cornflake chicken strips

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Begin by rinsing the chicken under cold water and patting it dry. Then, cut the chicken into long strips, approximately 1/2 inch thick. Season the chicken strips with salt and pepper to taste.

Next, beat the eggs with oil in a bowl and set aside. Place the flour on a plate and set it aside as well.

To prepare the cornflake coating, place the cornflakes into a Ziploc bag, seal it, and crush the cornflakes into small pieces using a rolling pin or your hands. Transfer the crushed cornflakes into a flat bowl and stir in salt, pepper, and parsley to season.

Now, take one chicken strip at a time and coat it first in the flour, then dip it in the egg mixture, and finally coat it with the seasoned cornflakes, pressing the flakes onto the chicken to help them stick better. Transfer each coated chicken strip onto the prepared baking sheet. Discard any remaining flour, egg, and cornflakes.

Bake the chicken strips in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp, flipping them over halfway through the baking time (after the first 15 minutes).

Once baked to perfection, serve the cornflake-crusted chicken strips with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy this crispy and flavorful dish! Don’t forget to tag me in your Instagram posts or stories, so I can see your amazing results.

Tips for Crispy Cornflake Chicken Strips

Cut the chicken into evenly sized strips

Try to keep the chicken strips around ½ inch thick. This helps them cook evenly and keeps the thinner pieces from drying out before the thicker ones are done.

Don’t crush the cornflakes too finely

You want a mixture of small pieces and crumbs rather than cornflake powder. Larger pieces create that extra-crispy texture that makes these chicken strips so good.

Press the cornflakes onto the chicken

After dipping the chicken into the egg mixture, press it firmly into the seasoned cornflakes. This helps the coating stick during baking.

Don’t overcrowd the baking sheet

Arrange the chicken strips in a single layer with a little space between them. If they’re touching, they can steam instead of becoming crisp.

Flip the chicken halfway through baking

Flip the strips after about 15 minutes. This helps both sides become evenly golden and crisp.

Use a wire rack for an even crispier bottom

If you want the coating to stay especially crisp underneath, place a wire rack over your baking sheet and arrange the chicken strips on top. This allows hot air to circulate around the chicken.

Don’t overbake

Chicken strips are relatively thin and can dry out if left in the oven too long. Bake until golden and cooked through rather than relying only on the full 30-minute cooking time.

For food safety, chicken should reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.

Can I Use Chicken Thighs Instead of Chicken Breast?

Yes. You can use boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breast.

Chicken thighs are naturally more tender and forgiving, although they can take slightly longer to cook depending on how thick you cut the strips.

Cut them into similar-sized pieces and make sure they reach 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.

Can I Use Turkey Instead of Chicken?

Yes. You can replace the chicken with turkey breast.

Cut the turkey into strips of similar thickness and follow the same coating and baking method.

Can I Make These Chicken Strips Gluten-Free?

Yes. To make the recipe gluten-free, use:

• Gluten-free flour instead of regular flour
• Gluten-free cornflakes

Make sure all packaged ingredients are certified gluten-free if you’re preparing the recipe for someone with celiac disease or a serious gluten intolerance.

Can I Change the Seasoning?

Absolutely. This is one of the easiest parts of the recipe to customize.

Try adding:

• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Paprika
• Smoked paprika
• Chili powder
• Italian seasoning
• Dried oregano
• Dried basil
• Cayenne pepper

What to Serve With Baked Chicken Strips

These chicken strips work well as a complete meal with a simple side.

Try serving them with:

• Crispy Oven Fries
• Parmesan roasted potatoes
• Roasted vegetables
• Coleslaw
• Green salad
• Corn on the cob
• Mashed potatoes

How to Store Baked Chicken Strips

Store leftover chicken strips in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days.

For the crispiest result, reheat them in an air fryer or oven rather than the microwave. The microwave will warm the chicken but will soften the cornflake coating.

Can You Freeze Cornflake Chicken Strips?

Yes. For best results, freeze the cooked chicken strips in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe container or bag.

Reheat them directly from frozen in the oven or air fryer until hot and crispy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why isn’t my cornflake chicken crispy?

The most common reasons are overcrowding the baking sheet, crushing the cornflakes too finely, or allowing too much moisture to build up around the chicken. Arrange the strips in a single layer and leave space between them.

Do I need to spray the chicken with oil?

No. The original recipe uses a small amount of olive oil mixed with the egg mixture, so you don’t need to deep-fry or heavily oil the chicken.

Can I make these chicken strips in an air fryer?

Yes, although the recipe was developed for the oven. An air fryer should make the coating particularly crisp, but the exact cooking time will depend on the size of the strips and your air fryer. Start checking early rather than automatically using the full oven cooking time.

Can I prepare the chicken strips ahead of time?

You can coat the chicken a little ahead of baking and keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to cook it. For the crispiest coating, however, I recommend baking them soon after coating.

For more similar recipes check our full collection for Chicken Recipes.

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