Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

Dredge your chicken with this controversial ingredient for the most flavorful dish ever

It sounds gross, but it's really not

By
chicken Schnitzel
weyo/Adobe Stock

I have a confession to make to the mayonnaise-fearing people in my life. If you’ve ever eaten anything I’ve cooked that contains breaded chicken (and that’s many dishes), you’ve eaten – and likely very much enjoyed – mayonnaise. Look, I get it. A repulsion for mayonnaise is one of the most commonly heard culinary grievances, on par with a hatred for the word “moist.” Unfortunately, I have some bad news for people who have an aversion to both of these things. Mayonnaise is the secret to succulently moist chicken.

Traditional breaded chicken recipes call for three-step dredging stations of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. While this is a tried and true method, the mayonnaise method is far better. By swapping mayo for flour and egg in the dredging process, you’re gifting yourself a far juicier and more flavorful dish. It’s also much simpler and makes less of a mess than dusty flour and runny eggs all over your clean kitchen countertops.

Recommended Videos

When one considers the ingredients that are actually in mayonnaise, this method makes perfect sense. After all, mayo is essentially just a mixture of egg and oil, so of course, mayonnaise is a great way to ensure deliciously juicy (and moist) chicken.

Related

So whether you’re a mayonnaise lover like I am, or you suffer through life with a paralyzing fear of Hellmann’s, it’s time to up your chef game and embrace cooking chicken the right way.

Breaded chicken dinner plate
somegirl/Adobe Stock

Panko breaded chicken recipe

This delicious chicken recipe can be used in any dish that calls for breaded chicken. It’s perfect as a base for chicken parmesan, chicken schnitzel, or simply on its own next to roasted asparagus and buttery mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
  • Canola oil, for frying
  • 4 tablespoons store-bought or homemade mayonnaise (recipe below)
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Mayonnaise

  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup canola oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt to taste

Method

Mayonnaise

  1. In the bowl of a food processor, add egg and process for 20 seconds. Add the mustard, vinegar, and salt and process another 20-30 seconds.
  2. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the oil in a small stream until the mixture starts to emulsify.
  3. When the mixture has emulsified, stream in the remaining oil and process for an additional 10-20 seconds.
  4. Season to taste.

Chicken

  1. In a medium dish, combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, whisking to combine thoroughly. Set aside.
  2. In another dish, combine panko, parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika, mixing to combine. Set aside.
  3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, and dredge each piece evenly in the mayonnaise mixture, followed by the panko mixture, shaking off any excess breading.
  4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, swirling to coat.
  5. Saute each piece of chicken for 3 minutes on each side or until the chicken is done. Repeat with each piece of remaining chicken.
  6. Serve immediately.

Breaded chicken dish

Chicken cooking tips and tricks

  • Pounding the chicken breasts is really an essential step that one shouldn’t skip when pan-frying. Chicken breasts are an odd, uneven shape, which means they won’t cook evenly unless pounded into an even layer. To avoid undercooked or overcooked spots, be sure to get an even layer.
  • Regular breadcrumbs can absolutely be substituted for panko in this recipe, but we love the added crispiness from panko bread crumbs.
  • Mixing parmesan in with the breadcrumbs is a great way to add beautiful caramelization and flavor to the chicken breast. This is a perfect way to use up the last bit of the parmesan rind you have in your cheese drawer.
  • Depending on your recipe, feel free to add, subtract, or mix up the spices in this breading recipe. If you’re making chicken parmesan, for example, a few shakes of Italian seasoning would be delicious.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lindsay Parrill
Lindsay Parrill
Contributor
Lindsay is a graduate of California Culinary Academy, Le Cordon Bleu, San Francisco, from where she holds a degree in…
The 8 best hot dog topping alternatives you need to try
Forget the mustard and sauerkraut, try these creative toppings instead
Three hot dogs with different topppings

Summer will be here before we know it, so that means grilling season has almost arrived. Whether you have backyard barbecues, like to picnic at the barbecue pit in the park, or just want to harken back to your youth with hot dogs, why not get creative with some alternative hot dog toppings?
Our best alternative toppings for your dogs
You can prepare your hot dogs by steaming, boiling, or grilling, but that doesn’t mean the toppings have to be mustard only -- and no, we don’t put ketchup on hot dogs. We’re going to take a look at some of the most creative hot dog toppings out there that are sure to up your hot dog game.
Classic Chicago dogs

These hot dog toppings always will be a staple. The Vienna Beef hot dog reached Chicago during the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893, and the Chicago Dog was invented in 1929 at a stand named Fluky’s. The hot dog was originally called the Depression Sandwich. The Chicago-style dog features a poppy seed bun with an all-beef frank topped with mustard, white onions, dark green sweet pickle relish, sliced tomato, sport peppers, a dill pickle spear, and celery salt. If you don’t have the celery salt, that is passable, but you definitely can’t have a Chicago dog without the remaining ingredients.
New York dogs

Read more
This is how to sharpen a serrated knife the right way
This fearsome blade needs a little extra love
Knife blades closeup

In every good set of kitchen knives, there is one particular blade that most people both love and hate. We love it for its ability to flawlessly slice through foods like crusty baguettes and plump, ripened tomatoes. Its jagged edge gives us smooth cuts through otherwise tricky-to-slice ingredients, all while appearing rather fierce in the process. But this knife can be desperately infuriating in its trickiness to sharpen. This is the serrated knife - a fiercely toothy blade with a saw-like edge.

Serrated knives come in all sizes for a variety of kitchen tasks. Their toothy edge is perfect for many culinary uses, allowing for crisp, clean cuts without tearing or squashing the ingredient's often tender interior.

Read more
How to brunch like the French with lobster croissant and champagne
Chef Geoffrey Lechantoux at Maison Close shares his insights on lobster and frog legs for brunch.
Closeup of croissant lobster

The dining room of Maison Close. Maison Close

Brunch, that relaxing weekend breakfast of cocktails, omelets, and conversation with friends, is always a great time. But how about brunch with a French twist? Instead of eggs benedict or a spicy shakshuka, why not foie gras or a lobster brunch? We could all use a bit of luxury sometimes.

Read more