Easy Gluten-Free Breaded Chicken (Dairy-Free)
Golden and crunchy outside, tender and juicy inside, this easy gluten-free breaded chicken makes a delicious meal served with potatoes or a salad. This recipe is our family favorite, and you can make a big batch for meal prep and enjoy it for dinner during busy weeknights. Totally dairy-free too.
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Our Favorite Breaded Chicken – Made Gluten-Free!
Breaded meat is commonplace in so many cuisines (think “schnitzel” in Germany, “chicken katsu” in Japan, or “milanesas” en Latin America).
When I moved to Buenos Aires in 2010, one of the first dishes my mother-in-law taught me was “milanesas de carne“, which are literally breaded beef cutlets, a staple in Argentine cuisine and hugely popular across the Latin American continent.
After we got our own place, Juan and I incorporated this commonplace dish in our weekly dinner rotation, but with a little twist.
Instead of using beef, we prefer making breaded chicken cutlets (“milanesas de pollo“, or “chicken milanese“). Because we love chicken, as many of you do!
However, because traditional breaded chicken recipes usually include wheat flour and regular breadcrumbs (which both contain gluten), and Juan cannot eat gluten, we make our own gluten-free rendition. And it’s so good we literally eat it at least once or twice a week!
It’s a relatively easy swap – replacing the wheat flour with gluten-free flour, and using gluten-free bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs – but with the same crispiness and crunch on the outside, and tender juicy chicken inside!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
- Just a Few Simple Ingredients: The few ingredients you’ll need for making this gluten-free dairy-free breaded chicken are easily accessible at the local grocery stores (nothing fancy required!).
- Super Easy to Make: All you need to do is dip the chicken in beaten eggs before coating it with a gluten-free breading mixture. Then cook until golden and crispy, or freeze for using another time!
- Flavor it As You Wish: I find that store-bought breaded chicken can taste very bland, so I like to sprinkle in some garlic powder into the gluten-free breading mixture. Feel free to make your breading as flavorful or as plain as you wish!
- Totally Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free: The best part is that these breaded chicken cutlets are 100% gluten-free and dairy-free, which means that even those with Celiac disease or gluten or lactose intolerances can enjoy them without issues!
Ingredients You’ll Need:
Here’s a visual overview of the ingredients required for making this gluten-free breaded chicken recipe.
(For exact measurements, please scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
Recipe Notes + Substitutions:
- Chicken:Â I like using boneless skinless chicken breasts, but you could also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just make sure to slice the chicken into even thickness so they cook evenly in the oven.
- Eggs: Eggs help to bind the breading to the chicken, so make sure not to leave them out.
- Breadcrumbs: I used plain gluten-free breadcrumbs to keep this recipe gluten-free. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular breadcrumbs instead.
- Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
- Seasonings: I like adding a bit of garlic powder for extra flavor. However, feel free to use other seasonings if you prefer (such as onion powder, ground black pepper, or ground paprika if you like a bit of heat). You can also add in dried herbs such as dried parsley, dried thyme or dried rosemary.
- Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. However, go ahead and use whichever vegetable oil you prefer (such as canola oil, olive oil, avocado oil, etc.).
How to Make Gluten-Free Breaded Chicken (Step by Step):
Bread the Chicken Fillets
Dip Chicken Fillets in Egg:Â In a medium bowl, beat the two eggs. Dip the chicken fillets in the beaten eggs so they are completely covered.
Coat Chicken in Breadcrumb Mixture:Â In a shallow bowl, combine the gluten-free bread crumbs, gluten-free all-purpose flour, salt and garlic powder. Whisk well to combine. Coat the egg-dipped chicken fillets in the gluten-free chicken breading mixture.
Bake Until Golden and Crispy
Bake Breaded Chicken: Preheat the oven to 400F, drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over a large baking sheet and place the sheet in the hot oven for a few minutes (this will help give the bottom of the breaded chicken an immediate sear). Once the oil is hot, place the breaded chicken cutlets in a single layer on the baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining tablespoons of oil, and bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy, before flipping it over and baking it for another 10 minutes on the other side till it turns crisp and golden.
Serve and Enjoy:Â Serve the gluten-free breaded chicken with your favorite dipping sauce and sides. Enjoy!
Dish by Dish Tips:
- Swap Out the Protein: If you prefer, you can use pork cutlets, beef cutlets, or even fish fillets instead of chicken.
- Use Panko Breadcrumbs: I personally prefer using fine breadcrumbs (make your own gluten-free bread crumbs or buy store-bought). However, you can also use gluten-free panko breadcrumbs if you prefer a more Japanese-style “chicken katsu” like texture.
- Make Chicken Parmesan: You can also use these breaded chicken cutlets as a base for gluten-free chicken parmesan.
- Make Chicken Tenders: If you wish, you can cut the chicken into strips before breading them to get gluten-free chicken tenders.
- Cooking Method: We prefer baking our breaded chicken, but you can easily pan-fry it in a large skillet or deep-fry them if you prefer!
- Meal Prep: I usually make a big batch and then freeze the uncooked breaded chicken fillets in a freezer-safe container (separating each fillet with plastic separators). Then when ready to cook, simply preheat oven and oil according to recipe and place the frozen breaded chicken onto the hot baking sheet (simply bake it for a few minutes longer per side if using frozen).
Gluten-Free Side Dishes to Serve with Breaded Chicken:
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- Easy Twice Baked Potatoes (Gluten-Free)
- Parmesan Truffle Fries (Gluten-Free)
- Creamy Coleslaw (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Zucchini Fritters (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Gluten-Free Dips/Sauces to Eat it With:
- Sriracha Aioli (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Easy Garlic Aioli (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Copycat Raising Cane’s Sauce (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Marinara Sauce (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
- 5-Minute Homemade Pesto (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
Other Easy Gluten-Free Chicken Recipes You’ll Love:
- Chicken Marsala (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Honey Garlic Chicken (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Marry Me Chicken (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- One-Pan Chicken Fajitas (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Cutlets (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free)
Gluten-Free Main Dishes for Dinner:
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Easy Gluten-Free Breaded Chicken (Dairy-Free)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Golden and crunchy outside, tender and juicy inside, this easy gluten-free breaded chicken makes a delicious meal served with potatoes or a salad. This recipe is our family favorite, and you can make a big batch for meal prep and enjoy it for dinner during busy weeknights. Totally dairy-free too.
Ingredients
- 28 ounces chicken breasts (sliced into evenly thin fillets)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup plain gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons oil
Instructions
- Prepare Dredging Stations: In a medium bowl, beat the two eggs. In a shallow bowl, combine the gluten-free bread crumbs, gluten-free all-purpose flour, salt and garlic powder. Whisk well to combine.
- Dip Chicken Fillets in Egg: Use paper towels to pat the chicken dry before dipping the chicken fillets in the beaten eggs so they are completely covered.
- Coat Chicken in Breadcrumb Mixture: Coat the egg-dipped chicken fillets in the gluten-free chicken breading mixture.
- Preheat and Grease: Preheat the oven to 400F, drizzle 1 tablespoon of oil over a large baking sheet and place the sheet in the hot oven for a few minutes (this will help give the bottom of the breaded chicken an immediate sear).
- Bake Breaded Chicken: Once the oil is hot, place the breaded chicken cutlets in a single layer on the baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and bake for 10-12 minutes until the bottom is golden brown and crispy, before flipping it over and baking it for another 10 minutes on the other side till it turns crisp and golden.
- Serve and Enjoy! Serve the gluten-free breaded chicken with your favorite sides and enjoy!
Notes
Chicken: I like using skinless boneless chicken breasts, but you could also use boneless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just make sure to slice the chicken into evenly-thick pieces so they cook evenly in the oven.
Eggs: Eggs help to bind the breading to the chicken, so make sure not to leave them out.
Breadcrumbs: I used plain gluten-free breadcrumbs to keep this recipe gluten-free. However, if you are not Celiac or gluten-intolerant, go ahead and use regular breadcrumbs instead.
Gluten-Free Flour: I recommend using a good-quality gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that is made up of lighter flours/starches (such as rice flour, tapioca starch, corn starch or potato starch). I do NOT recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is made up of heavier flours (such as garbanzo bean flour).
Seasonings: I like adding a bit of garlic powder for extra flavor. However, feel free to use other seasonings if you prefer (such as onion powder, or ground paprika if you like a bit of heat). You can also add in dried herbs such as dried parsley, dried thyme or dried rosemary.
Oil: I like using sunflower oil because I always have a bottle of it on hand. However, go ahead and use whichever vegetable oil you prefer.
Freezing for Meal Prep: I usually make a big batch and then freeze the uncooked breaded chicken fillets in a freezer-safe container (separating each fillet with plastic separators). Then when ready to cook, preheat oven and oil according to recipe and place the frozen breaded chicken onto the hot baking sheet (simply bake it for a few minutes longer per side if using frozen)
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Western
I would think this could be adapted for an air fryer.
Yes, definitely you can make this in the air fryer too!