✔ Updated · clearer card + 165°F doneness check, air fryer and storage
This is my favorite lazy way to get crunchy fried chicken: Bisquick coating, a pan of sizzling butter and a hot oven, no pot of oil. The crust bakes up golden and craggy while the meat stays juicy, with about 15 minutes of hands-on work.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Bake skin side down in the melted butter first, turn only once, and pull the chicken when the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C).
Why You'll Love This Oven Fried Chicken
- Crispy without a deep fryer: the butter and a hot 425°F oven do the work.
- Five pantry ingredients plus chicken: Bisquick, paprika, salt, pepper and butter.
- Mostly hands-off, with about 15 minutes of prep before the oven takes over (I wipe down the counter and make a salad).
What Is Bisquick Oven Fried Chicken?
Oven fried chicken gets its crunch from a hot oven and a little fat in the pan rather than a pot of oil. Bisquick makes an easy coating because it already contains flour, leavening and fat, so it browns well and turns crisp with just paprika, salt and pepper added.
My mum made her Sunday chicken this way back in Ohio, in a buttered pan with one turn halfway, and I still love how little mess it makes. For more ideas with the same box of mix, see our Bisquick recipes.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Use a thermometer, not the clock. Piece sizes vary wildly, so I check the thickest piece every time: it's done at 165°F (74°C), with the probe not touching the bone. Thighs and drumsticks stay juicy even a little above that.
- Dip in milk first. A quick milk dip helps the Bisquick cling, so the coating stays put when you turn the chicken. Want a thicker, crunchier crust? Dip and coat twice.
- Heat the butter in the pan. The chicken should sizzle the second it hits the pan, and that sound is the crisping starting. Butter gives the best flavor; oil works but tastes plainer.
- Don't crowd or cover the pan. Leave space between the pieces and bake uncovered. My first batch went under foil "to keep it moist" and came out with a soggy, steamed coating. Never again.
- Turn only once. Leave the chicken skin side down for the full 35 minutes so the crust sets before you flip it with tongs. Peek too early and the coating tears.
- Handle raw chicken safely. Don't rinse it, which spreads bacteria around the sink. Use a separate board, wash your hands after handling it, and throw away leftover dipping milk and coating.
Bisquick Oven Fried Chicken
6
servings15
minutes50
minutes450
kcal1
hour10
minutesCrispy Bisquick oven fried chicken: bone-in chicken pieces dipped in milk, coated in Bisquick seasoned with paprika, salt and pepper, then baked skin side down in melted butter at 425°F, turned once and cooked until the thickest piece reaches 165°F.
Ingredients
- For the Coating
2/3 cup Original Bisquick baking mix (80 g)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup milk, for dipping
- For the Chicken
3 to 3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs and breasts cut in half)
3 tablespoons butter (45 g)
Directions
- Prep
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Put the butter in a 13×9-inch baking pan and set it in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, until melted. Tilt the pan to coat the bottom.
- In a shallow dish or large zip-top bag, mix the Bisquick, paprika, salt and pepper. Pour the milk into a second shallow dish.
- Dip each chicken piece in the milk, let the excess drip off, then coat it in the Bisquick mixture, pressing so it sticks. Shake off the excess. Discard any leftover milk and coating that touched the raw chicken.
- Place the chicken skin side down in the melted butter in a single layer, leaving a little space between the pieces.
- Bake
- Bake uncovered for 35 minutes, until the underside is golden and crisp.
- Turn the pieces over with tongs and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until the coating is deep golden and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C), without touching the bone.
- Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving, so the juices settle and the crust firms up.
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How to Tell When the Chicken Is Done
A golden crust doesn't mean the chicken is cooked through, especially with big breast pieces. Push an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the biggest piece, without touching the bone. It's safe to eat at 165°F (74°C).
If the coating is browning fast but the inside isn't there yet, lay a loose sheet of foil over the pan for the last few minutes. I cut large breasts in half before coating, so all the pieces finish at about the same time.
Seasoning Ideas
The basic paprika, salt and pepper coating is a blank canvas, and I rarely make it the same way twice. Add any of these to the Bisquick mixture:
- Spicy: 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon chili powder.
- Smoky: swap the paprika for smoked paprika and add 1 teaspoon garlic powder. This one is my favorite.
- Lemon pepper: 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning, reducing the salt to 3/4 teaspoon. For wings, see our lemon pepper wings.
- Herby: 1 teaspoon each dried thyme and oregano, plus 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
- Southern style: dip in buttermilk instead of milk and add 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon onion powder.
- Deep-fried flavor without the fryer: try our KFC-style original chicken for a heavily seasoned coating.
What to Serve With It
- Mashed potatoes and gravy, or our KFC-style potato wedges.
- Coleslaw, corn on the cob or a crisp green salad.
- Warm biscuits, or turn the rest of the box into Bisquick dumplings or a Bisquick chicken pot pie.
- For dessert, Bisquick strawberry shortcake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I bake Bisquick fried chicken at 425°F?
Bake bone-in pieces skin side down for 35 minutes, turn them and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, about 45 to 50 minutes in total. I always check rather than guess: the chicken is done when the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Why won't the Bisquick coating stick to my chicken?
The chicken needs a slightly wet surface to hold the coating. Dip each piece in milk, let the excess drip off, then press it into the seasoned Bisquick. Turning the chicken too early can also tear the coating, so leave it skin side down for the first 35 minutes.
Can I make this with boneless chicken?
Yes. Use boneless breasts cut into strips or tenders, or boneless thighs. They cook faster: bake at 425°F for about 12 minutes, turn and bake 6 to 10 minutes more, until they reach 165°F (74°C). Strips are my pick for a quick weeknight version.
Can I make Bisquick chicken in the air fryer?
Yes. Coat the chicken the same way, mist it lightly with oil and air fry bone-in pieces at 375°F (190°C) for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway, until they reach 165°F (74°C). Cook in a single layer, in batches if needed.
What can I use instead of Bisquick?
Mix 2/3 cup all-purpose flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt, then rub in 1 1/2 tablespoons cold butter or shortening until crumbly. Use it in place of the Bisquick and season it the same way.
How do I store and reheat leftover chicken?
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container for up to 3 to 4 days. Reheat on a rack in a 375°F oven or in the air fryer until hot all the way through, 165°F (74°C), which keeps the coating crisp. The microwave works but softens the crust.
