Can cooked chicken be breaded and fried?

Quick Answer

Yes, cooked chicken can absolutely be breaded and fried. This is a great way to use up leftover cooked chicken and transform it into something delicious and crispy. The key is to make sure the chicken is very dry before breading, so the coating adheres properly.

Breading Cooked Chicken

Breading and frying cooked chicken is a simple process:

1. Make sure the cooked chicken is completely cooled. Use refrigerated or frozen chicken.
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels to remove any moisture.
3. Season the chicken with salt, pepper, spices, or herb seasoning if desired.
4. Set up a breading station – place flour, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs or panko in separate shallow dishes.
5. Coat the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Then dip in egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally coat thoroughly in breadcrumbs, pressing them into the chicken.
6. Let the breaded chicken sit 5-10 minutes so the coating adheres. You can refrigerate up to 24 hours at this point if you want to bread ahead.
7. Fry the chicken in a skillet with 1-2 inches of vegetable or canola oil heated to 350°F. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 3-5 minutes per side.
8. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and season again with salt if desired while hot.

The double coating of flour and breadcrumbs helps create an extra crispy crust on the chicken when fried. Be sure the oil is hot enough – around 350°F works best. This helps the coating brown quickly without overcooking the chicken.

Tips for Breading Cooked Chicken

Here are some handy tips for getting the best results when breading cooked chicken for frying:

• Make sure the chicken is very dry before breading. Pat off any moisture with paper towels.
• Allowing the breaded chicken to rest 5-10 minutes helps the coating adhere better.
• Use very fine, dry breadcrumbs like panko for the crispiest crust.
• Avoid overcrowding the pan when frying. Fry in batches for even cooking.
• Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.
• Fry just until the coating is crisp and golden, not too dark.
• You can use all purpose flour or cornstarch for dredging instead of flour.

Best Types of Cooked Chicken for Frying

You can bread and fry most any fully cooked chicken pieces or cuts. Here are some of the best options:

• Chicken breasts – boneless, skinless breasts work best when cut into strips or tenders.
• Chicken thighs – bone-in or boneless, skin-on for more flavor.
• Chicken drumsticks – small or lollipop style work well.
• Wings – fried chicken wings make a tasty appetizer.
• Leftover roasted chicken – shred or cut into chunks before breading.

Dark meat chicken tends to stay juicier when fried compared to white meat. But both are delicious!

Serving Fried, Breaded Chicken

Crispy, breaded fried chicken is delicious on its own, but there are lots of tasty ways to serve it:

• On a bun as fried chicken sandwich with pickles and slaw.
• On top of a fresh salad for added crunch.
• With classic Southern sides like mashed potatoes, biscuits, and gravy.
• As an appetizer with ranch or honey-mustard for dipping.
• In tacos, on pizza, layered in sandwiches and subs.
• With waffles and syrup for a tasty chicken and waffles dish.

Get creative with your cooked, breaded chicken! The coating keeps it crispy despite reheating or dressing it up in your favorite recipes.

Storage and Reheating

For the best texture, breaded fried chicken is best eaten soon after frying. But leftovers can be stored and reheated using these methods:

• At room temperature – 1-2 hours
• Refrigerated – store in sealed container up to 4 days
• Frozen – freeze cooked chicken up to 4 months; thaw in fridge before reheating
• Reheating – bake at 375°F or microwave until heated through

The coating may lose some crispness when reheating breaded chicken. Quickly frying again in oil for a couple minutes can help revive the crunch if desired.

Nutrition

Breaded, fried chicken is higher in calories and fat compared to plain cooked chicken. A 4 oz serving of fried breaded chicken provides approximately:

• Calories: 220
• Fat: 14g
• Carbs: 7g
• Protein: 16g

The combination of lean protein from the chicken and crunchy, satisfying coating makes this a flavorful and filling choice. Just balance the higher fat content by enjoying breaded chicken in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet.

Conclusion

Breading and frying cooked chicken pieces is easy way to give leftovers new life with delicious crunch and flavor. Allowing the chicken to dry thoroughly first and using very fine, dry breadcrumbs for the coating helps ensure the best crispy texture. Fried breaded chicken works for dinner, as party appetizers, or on sandwiches and salads. Store and reheat properly to maintain the crispness as much as possible. This tasty preparation transforms boring leftover chicken into something fun and finger-licking good.