Fried Chicken Breast

Crispy fried chicken breast topped with arugula, shaved parmesan cheese, and a delicious lemon vinaigrette – one of the best chicken recipes!

We LOVE chicken in our home, which means we are always making it and looking for more chicken recipes. This fried chicken breast has become a favorite and is simple, crispy and delicious! We love to serve it with roasted brussel sprouts or baked asparagus making it one of our go-to dinner ideas.

Crispy fried chicken breast recipe topped with arugula

A New Favorite

Not too long ago, I shared a crazy simple Pesto Chicken dish. Today’s Crispy Chicken with Arugula recipe is just as tasty, and just as simple! It might even be my new favorite dinner recipe!

The chicken breast is SO flavorful, and when you add some delicious salad with shaved parmesan and a lemon vinaigrette, it’s irresistible.

The breading process can take some time, but it’s what makes it soooo good, so be sure to follow the steps in order, and you’ll have a beautiful piece of crispy chicken.

I’m usually not a fan of arugula by itself. It has a really pungent flavor, and typically it’s mixed in with other greens. But in this case, it compliments the flavor of the chicken and the lemon vinaigrette perfectly!

How to make fried chicken breast process pics

how to fry chicken breast

MARINATE. Place the raw chicken breasts in a Ziploc bag with buttermilk for 30-60 minutes.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand you can DIY some of your own: simply start with a tablespoon of white vinegar, or lemon juice and then add enough milk to make it total a cup. Stir the mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.

BREAD. Create breading process with 3 separate shallow dishes or bowls. In the first dish, mix flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp pepper. In the second dish, mix egg and 1 TB water. And in the third dish, mix Panko, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.

Coat chicken in flour (first dish), dredge in egg mixture (second dish) then coat in panko (third dish). TIP:  Dredge means to completely coat the chicken in the ingredient so it sticks effectively and ensures an even cook. Repeat with each chicken breast and place on a baking sheet.

FRY. In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter and olive oil. You should use around ⅛-1 inch of oil on the bottom of the pan. Pan frying chicken doesn’t require your chicken to be completely submerged in oil, but rather enough to cover the pan.

Place 2 chicken breasts in the pan and brown (about three minutes on each side). continue cooking until chicken is cooked all the way through. Repeat with the last two chicken breasts. Place on paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.

DRESSING. Make dressing by whisking lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat arugula with lemon vinaigrette and place a pile on top of each breast. Top with shaved parmesan and serve warm. ENJOY!

Alternatives to frying

Can the chicken be made in an air fryer? In the oven? If you would like to cook this in the air fryer, you can preheat it to 390 degrees and allow the chicken to cook for 25 minutes or until it has reached an internal temperature of 165-170 degrees.

For making this in the oven, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and bake the chicken on a baking sheet for 30 minutes, flipping half way through. Or 400 degrees for 50 minutes. It really just depends on your oven, so watch it closely. 

Fried chicken breast with arugula and shaved Parmesan cheese

Keep leftovers Crispy

How do you reheat fried chicken/Keep it crispy? If you would like to freeze your chicken, you can store it in an air-tight container for 1-3 months and in the fridge for 1-3 days.

You can reheat fried chicken and keep it crispy by quickly re-frying it in a pan. This time, make sure you only let it cook for 2-3 minutes on each side and that the oil is not smoking when you place the chicken in the pan.

You will have to do this one or two chicken breasts at a time because if the pan is overcrowded the chicken will steam and it will get soggy rather than crispy.

This fried chicken is so good it tastes like it came straight from a fancy restaurant!! It would be great to eat any night, but it would also be the perfect dish when trying to pull out all the stops for friends or family. 😉

for more crispy chicken recipes, try:

Fried Chicken Breast Recipe

5 from 10 votes
Crispy breaded chicken topped with arugula, shaved parmesan cheese, and a delicious lemon vinaigrette!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Marinate 30 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 484 kcal
Author Lil’ Luna

Ingredients

  • 4 thin chicken breasts
  • 1 pint buttermilk
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 4 cups baby arugula loosely packed
  • 4 tbsp shaved parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter

Lemon Vinagrette

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Marinate chicken in buttermilk in a Ziploc bag for 30-60 minutes.
  • Create breading process with 3 separate shallow dishes or bowls. In the first dish, mix flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, and ½ tsp pepper. In the second dish, mix egg and 1 TB water. In the third dish, mix Panko, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp pepper.
  • Coat chicken in flour (first dish), dredge in egg mixture (second dish) then coat in panko (third dish). Repeat with each chicken breast and place on a baking sheet.
  • In a large skillet over medium high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Place 2 chicken breasts in the pan and brown (about three minutes on each side). continue cooking until chicken is cooked all the way through. Repeat with the last two chicken breasts. Place on paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
  • Make dressing by whisking lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Lightly coat arugula with lemon vinaigrette and scoop onto each breast. Top with shaved parmesan and serve warm. ENJOY!

Adapted from Cooking for Keeps.

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About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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Comments:

  1. Okay so the parmesan is just for the top of the argula right? You don’t mix the parmesan and panko together right?

    1. Correct. It’s just for topping the chicken, though you could add it in the mixture as well. Enjoy!

  2. 5 stars
    Basically delicious fried chicken with a side salad. They pair really well together and both taste great!

  3. 5 stars
    Such a simple recipe to throw together and always a hit with every family member! We make this recipe quite often!

  4. 5 stars
    Mt family loves this recipe! It is very family-friendly! My kids love it, since it is simple, but tasty!

  5. 5 stars
    This chicken was delicious! I added dijon and honey to the vinaigrette. Next time, I would serve the salad on the side as the heat from the chicken warmed the salad.

    1. I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe! The addition of dijon and honey to the vinaigrette sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing!

  6. Definitely recommend putting the lid on to make sure the middle gets cooked through. Also needs to be cooked longer than 3 mins per side. Super thin breasts cooked fine but slightly larger ones needed more time.

  7. 5 stars
    My family LOVED this recipe. I made a LOT of chicken and I felt like I kept changing the olive oil. Can vegetable oil be used instead?