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Panko Baked Chicken Thighs

Panko Baked Chicken Thighs | A delicious and healthier alternative to fried chicken! | asweetpeachef.om

So Dustin’s been asking me for a while to make oven fried chicken. We used to make this baked chicken like 9 years ago (yowza! before we had kids!) where we would coat chicken thighs with seasoned flour, pop ’em in a baking dish and literally add pads of butter to the top to help it get nice and tasty.  Like pads.

Oh my gosh I remember that being delicious. 

And, yes, I totally just said yowza.

Panko Baked Chicken Thighs - Breading Panko Baked Chicken Thighs - Ready To Bake

But, 9ish years later, I just can’t get myself to throw a bunch of butter and all-purpose flour on top like we used to. 

So, instead, I changed up the recipe some, added a little more spice, and swapped the flour for chickpea flour and panko.  Never heard of chickpea flour before? Well, it’s a great gluten-free flour that is high in protein and fiber and is actually very cheap to buy. I like to use it in savory recipes like this panko baked chicken.

Then, when Dustin saw the panko baked chicken thighs, his first thought was that I hadn’t made what he wanted. And he was sad.

Like super alllllmost crying sad.  It was bad.
Panko Baked Chicken Thighs - Baked

Then he tried them.

Then he was happy. 🙂

Panko Baked Chicken Thighs

Panko is awesome, isn’t it? 

It’s like super-charged breadcrumbs.It’s kinda like breadcrumbs and has a light, flaky and crunchy texture which makes it perfect for baking protein instead of frying. It’s also lower in calories, sodium, and fat and higher in fiber than regular breadcrumbs. Not only does it allow you to add a delicious crunch up your food, it also helps to reduce oil and fat when cooking because you can bake the meat instead of frying and still get that yummy, oh-so-coveted crunch. 

It’s basically a great way to get that fried chicken fix in a healthier, less oily way.

Panko Baked Chicken Thighs Panko Baked Chicken Thighs

By the way, these oven baked chicken thighs pair very nicely with my garlic sautéed spinach, which is pictured above.

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If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think by leaving a comment and rating it. And don’t forget to take a picture and tag it #asweetpeachef on Instagram! I LOVE seeing what you come up with. Enjoy!

5 from 5 votes
7 Flavorful Chicken Thigh Recipes
Panko Baked Chicken Thighs
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
55 mins
 
These Panko Baked Chicken Thighs are very crunchy and flavorful. They make a great weeknight dinner or are perfect for the weekend.
Categories: Easy Dinner
Difficulty: Easy
Keyword: baked breaded chicken thighs, breaded chicken thighs, panko chicken thighs
Servings: 6
Calories: 501 kcal
Author: Lacey Baier of A Sweet Pea Chef
Ingredients
  • 8 chicken thighs bone-in and skin-on
  • 2 tsp kosher salt divided
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper divided
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp granulated onion
  • 1 cup chickpea/garbanzo flour
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 tbsp hot sauce I use Cholula or Tapatio
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs unseasoned
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with tin foil or parchment paper (this will make cleanup a lot easier).
  2. In a shallow dish or bowl, combine the chickpea or garbanzo flour, 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.
  3. In another shallow dish or bowl, combine the eggs, almond milk, hot sauce, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
  4. Finally, in a third shallow dish or bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs with 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. paprika, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 1/4 tsp. garlic powder, and 1/4 tsp. granulated onion and stir to combine.
  5. One thigh at a time, dredge into the seasoned chickpea flour mixture, shaking off any excess, followed by the egg mixture, and finally in the panko mixture.
  6. Once fully coated in the panko mixture, place onto the baking tray, skin-side-up, and repeat with the rest of the thighs.
  7. Place into the oven and bake until the thighs are golden brown and the chicken is completely cooked through, about 45 minutes.

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts
Panko Baked Chicken Thighs
Amount Per Serving (2 g)
Calories 501 Calories from Fat 279
% Daily Value*
Fat 31g48%
Saturated Fat 8.1g41%
Cholesterol 203.9mg68%
Sodium 227.7mg9%
Carbohydrates 19.7g7%
Fiber 2.9g12%
Sugar 2.5g3%
Protein 34.5g69%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 This post contains affiliate links for products I use regularly and highly recommend.

This post was last updated on 3/11/16 to include a new recipe video.

Lacey Baier

Hey there! I’m Lacey Baier and I’d like to welcome you! I’m a healthy lifestyle influencer and the creator of this clean-eating blog and YouTube channel, as well as cleanish, my clean-eating supplement brand. My recipes have been published on Food Network, Good Morning America, FoxNews, Tastemade, Fitness Magazine, and much more. I live in Austin, Texas with my husband and four kiddos. Let’s get started!

15 thoughts on “Panko Baked Chicken Thighs

  1. I used coconut flour, added 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, Italian Panko, delish perfection! Save dishwashing, use two separate cheap gallon storage bags for the flour dip & the Panko dip, then toss ‘em!

  2. How any thighs are one serving? It says serves 6, but the recipe calls for 8 thighs. Just wondering so I know how to track my calories. Looking forward to this! Thanks

  3. 5 stars
    Just what I was hoping for! Thank you Lacey! Even the leftovers were crispy and good. I have already shared this recipe with friends..

  4. Just what I was hoping for. I had tried other baked chicken recipes that turned out soggy. Not this one! Even crispy and moist the second night for leftovers. Thank you!

  5. I love this recipe. Tried it a couple of weeks ago, it was super moist on the inside but really crispy. I’m making this again today and thought I wouldn’t be able to find this recipe again. This time I’m emailing it to myself. Thank you kindly for sharing this superb recipe.

  6. 5 stars
    We were craving fried chicken and yet didn’t want the horrible feeling of regret after eating greasy chicken. So over the moon to find your recipe. The chicken was perfect and the Panko breadcrumbs work so well. I’ll be sharing this recipe with friends and family.

  7. 5 stars
    This chicken was absolutely fantastic! All I had on hand was regular flour, so it wasn’t as healthy, but still tasted great! I made it with bone-in chicken thighs and my boyfriend absolutely loved it. He said it was tied for my #1 best cooked meal yet. Will be saving this one for sure! Thanks! 🙂

  8. Lol about your hubby being sad and then happy! I have panko and I’m going to try this tonight, but don’t have chickpea flour so will just use regular. Hope it turns out!

  9. This recipe is delicious! Made with boneless, skinless chicken thighs and baked at 375 for 30 minutes, then let rest 5 before serving. Juicy and perfect!

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