Oven-Fried Chicken With Sour Cream

Breaded chicken and squash on plate.

Dave King / Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Marinate: 2 hrs
Total: 3 hrs
Servings: 4 to 6 servings
Yield: 4 to 6 chicken breasts

These chicken breasts are marinated in a combination of sour cream, lemon juice, and garlic. The chicken is then coated with breadcrumbs and baked to tender perfection. The sour cream marinade makes the chicken moist and tender. Feel free to replace the sour cream with buttermilk or Greek yogurt. Add a few teaspoons of hot sauce—Texas Pete's, Frank's, etc.—to the sour cream for a bit of heat. A dash of cayenne pepper or spicy Creole or Cajun seasoning is another good option.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sour cream

  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 1 lemon

  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

  • 1/4 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 clove garlic, mashed and minced, or more to taste

  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 4 to 6 boneless chicken breasts

  • 1 1/2 cups plain dry breadcrumbs

Steps to Make It

  1. In a nonreactive container or bowl, combine the sour cream, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, garlic, seasoned salt, and pepper. Place the chicken breast pieces in the bowl and turn them to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

  2. Heat the oven to 350 F / 180 C /Gas 4. Line a shallow rimmed baking sheet with foil and then lightly grease the foil or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.

  3. Put the breadcrumbs in a wide, shallow bowl.

  4. Remove the chicken breasts from the sour cream mixture and coat the pieces thoroughly with the breadcrumbs.

  5. Arrange the coated chicken in the prepared baking pan.

  6. Bake the chicken in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until it is tender and the juices run clear. The safe minimum temperature for chicken is 165 F / 74 C. To check for doneness, insert a reliable instant-read thermometer into the thickest chicken breast. 

  7. If the chicken breasts are very large or quite thin, adjust the cooking time accordingly. Check thin chicken breasts after about 25 to 30 minutes. 

Tips and Variations

  • Drizzle the breaded chicken with a few tablespoons of melted butter before you put it in the oven.

  • According to the American Heart Association, a serving size of chicken is about 3 ounces. If the chicken breasts are large, you might want to slice them in half horizontally to make thinner cutlets. If you use chicken cutlets or thinned chicken breasts in the recipe, check for doneness after about 25 minutes. 

  • Feel free to replace the fine dry breadcrumbs with cornflake crumbs or use panko crumbs for a crunchier coating. For some extra flavor, add 3 to 4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese to the crumbs mixture.

  • Serve the chicken breasts with roasted potatoes or fries and steamed vegetables for a satisfying family meal.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
384 Calories
13g Fat
22g Carbs
42g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 384
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 5g 27%
Cholesterol 125mg 42%
Sodium 364mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 42g
Vitamin C 3mg 17%
Calcium 109mg 8%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 423mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)