Unused ingredients haunt my dreams, crowd my pantry, and generally give me an unsettled feeling deep down – where else – in my belly. Panko Chicken Chunks came to our family dinner table through an intense motivation to use some of these ingredients up.
Random ingredients in my pantry and nightmares
Take a look at these misfit ingredients. They have the nerve to take up space despite having no purpose. Could I use them all up at once? I doubt anyone is looking for a recipe for apricot, carrot and coconut pudding topped with Panko and chow mein noodles 
I guess I’ll just have to go through them one by one. Let’s start with Panko featuring boneless chicken.
What are panko breadcrumbs anyway?
The process for making Panko breadcrumbs is actually very cool. They’re not made from traditional oven-baked bread. They’re made from bread that is baked by passing an electric current through the dough! The result is a crustless bread that is airier and has a bigger crumb.
Crustless bread, eh? Seems like Panko bread loaves might be the answer to feeding kids under the age of five, who unanimously reject crust. But I digress.
Ingredients you’ll need for Panko chicken chunks
This recipe has a super simple list of ingredients, and none are hard to find!
- egg
- buttermilk (or a combination of low fat milk muddled with a little vinegar)
- boneless chicken breasts or tenders
- panko breadcrumbs
- paprika, onion powder, oregano
- spray oil
Just soak the chicken pieces in egg/buttermilk, then coat them in the seasoned breadcrumbs.
Panko breadcrumbs provide the crunch, and to give them a little more crispiness, just spray the pieces with some spray oil right before putting them in the oven.
Can you pan fry panko chicken chunks?
What you want are chicken pieces with a crispy, dippable, finger-linking coating. That’s why I strongly recommend the oven for this panko chicken recipe. My experiement with a pan frying method turned out poorly, resulting in edible, but not very presentable, chicken chunks. The panko coating on the outside cooked much faster than the center of the chicken, resulting in a nearly burnt exterior.
Why should you make this recipe?
You’ll be finger-licking loving these in no time! Get this delicious panko chicken recipe on your table because it’s…
- a 30-minute meal with just a handful of everyday ingredients
- healthier chicken ‘tenders’ than any fast food offering
- a crowd pleaser for anyone from 2-92
- fun to dip in your favorite sauces (think honey mustard, BBQ, ranch)
- a great option as an appetizer for the big game, your finger-food loving preschooler, or as a simple supper served with fruit or a salad.
Want another delish recipe with panko breadcrumbs?
If you like Panko and want to try another superstar recipe, please check out my #1 TOP RECIPE for the past 10 years!
Panko Chicken Chunks
You could be finger-licking loving these in about 30 minutes! Crispy bites of chicken coated in a savory crunch coat of Panko and spices. Perfect for dipping!
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup buttermilk* or mix 1/3 cup low fat milk with 1 tsp white vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes
- 1 pound boneless chicken breast or tenders cut into bite size pieces
- 1 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Put in the oven for several minutes to heat up the pan.
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Whisk together egg and buttermilk. Add chicken pieces and let sit while you prepare the coating
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Combine Panko breadcrumbs, paprika, onion powder, oregano, salt and pepper in shallow dish.
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Remove pan from oven and coat surface with spray oil.
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Dredge chicken pieces in crumb mixture, coating completely. Gently shake off excess, and place on pan. Spray tops of chicken with spray oil.
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Bake chicken for 15-18 minutes. Chicken will be golden brown and no longer pink in the center. Internal temperature should read 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a digital kitchen thermometer.
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Serve warm with dips such as honey mustard, barbecue sauce, ketchup, or ranch dressing.
Sounds like a great recipe…..but I have 2 questions: What do you use for “spray oil”? (olive oil? veg oil? Pam?) Do you use nonstick foil or regular foil or does it even matter? Thnx
I’ve done it with regular aluminum foil, or without any foil. I use Pam (any type).
Made the chicken finger tonight. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. Hope you enjoyed it. My oldest just asked me to make these again so he can take them to school – says he won’t mind eating them cold (ick).
What?! You don’t have powdered imitation eggs in your pantry?! You can have some of mine if it helps you to come up with a multi-ingredient “Pantry Misfit” recipe.
Looks DELISH Jules – and fun – GREAT for a sleepover party!! (and the panko breadcrumbs came from your swiss cheese chicken venture 🙂
Ah, yes! Gosh, of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most… 🙂