Baked Chicken Ritz

Grandma was never afraid to try something different! Who said you had to use breadcrumbs to coat chicken? Why not crackers like Ritz or Club or Chicken in a Biskit? Whatever kind of cracker you enjoy as a snack could work as a breading for chicken...and the butterier (is that a word?) the better!

This was a recipe Grandma found in a church cook book that she modified to make it more amazing than it already was.


The original recipe called for washing/patting dry the chicken, seasoning it, dipping it in vegetable oil, then covering it with the cracker crumbs. Grandma changed the oil to melted butter, the cracker crumbs to Ritz, and it was transformed from blandness to buttery divine-ness. The change gave it an almost Southern-fried-chicken flavor--with half the work!

Also, she didn't use boneless chicken breasts. She used split fryers with the skin on, which she thought came out more moist and tender at the high cooking temperature.

Give this one a try. Your family will think you slaved for hours on it! (That will be our little secret.) 


Baked Chicken Ritz 

1 split fryer (breasts, wings, legs, thighs)
1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
1 sleeve Ritz crackers, crushed 

Preheat oven to 400F. 

Wash and pat dry the split fryer pieces.  Place pieces in melted butter for about 10 minutes, then remove and place on cookie sheet. Salt and pepper each piece your liking then dredge in Ritz crumbs until thoroughly coated. Return to cookie sheet and pour any leftover butter on chicken. Bake at 400F for 45 minutes.