Cereal-Crusted Chicken

Cereal-Crusted Chicken is a popular home-style dish where chicken pieces are coated in crushed breakfast cereal instead of traditional breadcrumbs before baking or frying. It typically uses cornflakes or similar flaky cereals, along with flour, eggs, and seasonings like salt, pepper, and paprika. This preparation method is widely found in American and British home cooking, often as a kid-friendly and crunchy alternative to fried chicken.

🍽️ Nutrition at a glance

The dish is a good source of protein from the chicken, but the cereal coating can add significant carbohydrates and some fat depending on the cooking method. A typical serving (about 4-6 ounces of chicken) provides roughly 300-400 calories, with notable amounts of B vitamins and iron from the fortified cereal.

Nutrition breakdown

Calories	350 kcal
Protein	32 g
Carbs	18 g
Fat	16 g
Fiber	2 g
Sugar	3 g
Sodium	480 mg
Potassium	320 mg
Phosphorus	250 mg
Niacin (B3)	12 mg
Vitamin B6	0.6 mg
Selenium	28 mcg
Iron	2.1 mg
Magnesium	35 mg
Zinc	1.5 mg

Per 1 breast (170 g) · estimated, varies by recipe

💡 What's interesting

Using breakfast cereal as a coating is a clever kitchen hack that emerged in the mid-20th century, reflecting a trend of using convenient, shelf-stable pantry items in home cooking. Nutritionally, the fortified cereal can add micronutrients not typically found in plain breadcrumbs, making it a subtly enhanced comfort food.