Crispy Sesame Chicken

This oven-baked chicken gets a triple-crunch coating of bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, and sesame seeds that bakes up golden and crispy without any frying. The chicken pieces get dipped in melted butter, rolled through the seasoned crumb mixture, and baked in a shallow pan for one hour.

The butter does more than just make the crumbs stick. As it melts in the oven, it bastes the chicken from underneath and toasts the coating from the outside, creating a crust that’s crunchy on top and almost buttery-fried on the bottom where the chicken sits in the pan.

The Parmesan is doing a lot of the flavor work here. A full cup of grated cheese in the crumb mixture adds a salty, savory depth that plain breadcrumbs alone can’t match. The sesame seeds toast during baking and add a nutty crunch to every bite.

Pro Tips

• Pat the chicken completely dry before dipping in butter. Moisture prevents the coating from sticking and creates steam instead of crispness.
• Use a shallow pan, not a deep baking dish. The chicken needs air circulation to crisp on all sides.
• Don’t flip the chicken during baking. One hour undisturbed lets the bottom get golden in the butter while the top crisps in the dry heat.
• Grate the Parmesan finely so it blends evenly with the breadcrumbs and sesame seeds.

Variations

• Add ½ teaspoon each of garlic powder and paprika to the crumb mixture for a more seasoned coating.
• Use panko breadcrumbs instead of regular for an even crunchier texture.
• Try this coating on bone-in pork chops for a different protein with the same crispy finish.