southern unfried chicken

4 Pinches
Renton, WA
Updated on Jan 26, 2026

This is a version of a recipe from Chef Art Smith whose specialty is Southern cooking. He was a personal chef to Oprah Winfrey and Florida Gov Jeb Bush. He gained media attention when he began sharing his journey of managing Type 2 diabetes by adopting a healthier cooking style, which helped him lose over 120 pounds. When demonstrating this recipe during a TV interview, he said he calls it his "fancy shake N bake with multigrain flakes," which is the top-selling menu item at his health-conscious restaurant LYFE Kitchen in Palo Alto, CA.

prep time 2 Hr
cook time 40 Min
method Bake
yield 4 serving(s)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon Louisiana hot sauce
  • 4 skinless chicken breasts, cut in half
  • 1 1/2 cups whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons hot red pepper (cayenne)
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • butter-flavored spray oil

How To Make southern unfried chicken

  • Step 1
    Lightly oil a baking sheet; set the baking sheet aside.
  • Step 2
    In a mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and hot sauce. Add chicken to the buttermilk marinade, pushing them down so it's fully submerged in the marinade. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in fridge for 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
  • Step 3
    While chicken is marinating, place the bread crumbs, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, red pepper/cayenne, and paprika in a large (gallon-size) plastic bag. Shake well until thoroughly combined.
  • Step 4
    Using tongs, remove chicken from the marinade and place them in the plastic bag with the bread crumb mixture. Shake the bag until all chicken pieces are evenly coated with the bread crumb coating.
  • Step 5
    Take the chicken out of the plastic bag, and lay them flat on the oiled baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the fridge, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
  • Step 6
    Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Step 7
    Remove the baking sheet from the fridge. Lightly spritz each coated chicken piece with a light spray of the butter-flavored spray oil.
  • Step 8
    Place the baking sheet in the oven to bake, uncovered, for 35 to 40 minutes.

Discover More

Category: Chicken
Ingredient: Chicken
Method: Bake
Culture: American

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