Baked Chicken vs Fried Chicken: Which is Better

Baked Chicken vs Fried Chicken Which is Better? When we think of fried chicken, we usually think of it as a guilty pleasure: the delicious taste and the high-calorie count.

At least that’s what I thought. But before I started this article, I had no idea how much healthier baked chicken is than fried chicken!

This was so surprising to me since I’ve always assumed that baked chicken is bland. In this article, I’ll tell you all about the health benefits of baked chicken vs fried chicken, how to bake your chicken, what baking pans you should use and give you some recipes too!

I want to clarify before we get started: frying isn’t a bad form of cooking when the oil being used is a healthier one. I love cooking in olive oil because it’s a great source of healthy fat and has so many health benefits.

Baked Chicken vs Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is often considered a southern specialty, but it’s actually a classic American dish.

This dish was first introduced to the southern states by African slaves working on plantations and had limited access to fresh meat. They had to resort to using whatever ingredients they could find to cook their meals.

If you’ve ever tasted fried chicken, it’s even more obvious that this dish was made with ingredients of limited availability. The batter for this dish usually consists of flour and spices already common on any American plate.

The only difference is the oil used for frying the chicken. Instead of cooking oils like soybean or canola oil, southern chefs would use the most readily available cooking oil, which just happened to be lard.

On the other hand, baked chicken is usually served as a healthier alternative to fried chicken. It’s often bland and unappealing because it doesn’t have that delicious golden crust that makes the fried chicken so tasty.

Despite the bad reputation baked chicken has, many nutritionists would consider this dish much better than its deep-fried counterpart. This is because baked chicken is usually served with plenty of fresh ingredients.

Health Benefits of Baked Chicken vs Fried Chicken

As I’ve already mentioned, fried chicken is made using vegetable oil with a low smoking point. And it’s clear why this is bad: if the oil used to fry the chicken has a low smoking point, it means that it starts breaking down at lower temperatures.

When cooking with unstable oils like these, the pan’s heat starts turning the oils into harmful free radicals, which are carcinogenic.

On the other hand, baked chicken can be made using healthier cooking oils with a higher smoking point. This way, they’ll remain stable and won’t break down at such a low temperature, meaning they won’t release as many free radicals as fried chicken would.

Another benefit of baking chicken is that it’s usually served with fresh ingredients. Instead of deep-frying the meat, you can just rub it with spices or marinate it and then bake it with the other ingredients.

This way, you’ll be exposing your chicken to heat for a shorter amount of time which helps prevent oxidation and preserve its nutrients at the same time.

On the other hand, fried chicken is usually served with processed ingredients like refined flour and sugar that have been stripped of many of their nutrients. This means that you’re more likely to get your daily dose of vitamins and minerals from baked chicken than from its deep-fried counterpart.

Is baking better than frying?

It depends on the recipe. If you’re looking for something low-fat and healthy, go with baked chicken. If you want something that tastes amazing but is still relatively healthy, go with fried chicken!

I hope this clears things up about fried chicken vs baked chicken dishes.

How to prepare Baked Chicken?

Now it’s time to get down to business! I’ll teach you how to bake chicken in just five minutes!

Ingredients

• 1 half of a large chicken cut into pieces
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Salt to taste
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 large eggs

How to prepare it?

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit or 200 degrees Celsius.
2. While the oven is heating up, prepare the breading station. In a bowl, combine all of your dry ingredients: breadcrumbs, paprika, garlic, and onion powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, whisk together buttermilk and eggs.
4. Coat each piece of chicken with flour, followed by the egg mixture, and finally with the breadcrumbs. Make sure that each piece of chicken is well coated with breading.
5. Place the breaded pieces of chicken on a baking tray covered in parchment paper.
6. Bake for 40 minutes! Your baked, delicious chicken is ready to be served!

How to Prepare Fried Chicken?

We already learn how to prepare Baked Chicken. Now it’s time to teach you a new way of preparing fried chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 half of a large chicken cut into pieces
• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup of canola or vegetable oil for frying

How to Prepare it?

1. In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour with garlic, onion, and paprika powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Coat each piece of chicken in this mixture.
2. In a saucepan, heat up your oil on medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Start frying your chicken in batches, making sure that the pieces aren’t overcrowded in the pan. Cook for around 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy!
4. Serve immediately with fresh vegetables and enjoy!

The Bottom Line

Both fried and baked chicken are great options. If you’re looking for a healthier option, go with the roasted bird. Or, if you want something more indulgent.

Try out some of these delicious recipes! Let me know which type is your favorite in the comments below! Thanks for reading!