I adapted this recipe from one of my mother-in-law's Island cookbooks. I'm not sure how Hawaiian this is, because other than the marinade for the chicken having an Asian flare, it basically tastes like a crispy version of teriyaki chicken. So, I'll call it Cornflake Teriyaki Chicken instead of plain cornflake chicken.
I must say, it's quite tasty though.
The chicken stays super moist because of the cornflake coating, and the cornflakes add a super crunch. I also like that it is baked and not fried, and uses no mayonnaise or egg and flour to get the cornflakes to stick. So it makes this recipe super easy and healthier than the mayo versions. But as with all crispy oven baked chicken, it's best eaten the same day it's made, or the coating gets soggy.
Some things I learned after making this.
- I would use skinless chicken thighs, as I found the skin hidden under the cereal coating to be a bit rubbery and unappealing. The bone-in chicken thighs are so much more flavorful than boneless thighs, so I do like to use bone-in if possible--just pull off the skin before marinating and coating with cornflakes.
- Also, only coat crushed cornflakes on the top of the chicken. Don't bother to coat all around the chicken, as the cereal gets soggy fast on the bottom of the chicken, unless you plan on baking the chicken on a wire rack.
- Use plain cornflakes, not frosted flakes, or the coating will be too sweet.
Yields 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
- 3 lbs chicken thighs (bone in, skin removed, about 7 to 8 pieces)
- 1 c cornflake crumbs (Plain cornflakes, not the frosted flakes kind)
- cooking oil spray
Marinade:
- 2T soy sauce
- 2T brown sugar
- 1T dried onion flakes
- 1t garlic powder
- 1t ginger powder
- 2t salt
Procedures:
1. Combine marinade ingredients and marinate chicken overnight in fridge.
2. Place cornflakes in a ziplock bag. Seal, and crush with a rolling pin. Pour cornflake crumbs out into a bowl.
3. Take chicken out of the fridge. Drain marinade and coat top of chicken in cornflake crumbs. (Note that most recipes will tell you to roll chicken in cornflakes, but the bottom of the chicken always ends up soggy unless you plan on baking them on a wire rack, so coating the bottom of the chicken with cornflakes is a waste, but if youreally insist to coat the entire chicken pieces, then you will need 2 c crushed cornflakes.)
4. Place chicken cornflake side up on a foil lined baking tray for easy clean up. Spray with a light oil coating. Bake at 400 F for 25-35 minutes until cooked through and outside is crispy. Enjoy while hot.