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This Potato Chip Chicken Recipe features thinly sliced baked chicken breasts smothered in a tangy sour cream mixture and a crunchy potato chip coating. It’s a quick and easy weeknight dinner and guaranteed family favorite!
Oven-Baked Potato Chip Chicken
Potato chips may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about chicken, but trust me, these two work. This chicken recipe is perfect for busy moms and dads who are simply doing the best they can—you know, surviving. I see you. Feeding tiny humans is a tough job.
Fortunately, both kids and adults love this potato chip chicken. It has just the right amount of “naughtiness” to be cool enough for picky kids of all ages while skipping the guilt of fast food.
Unlike this cornflake chicken, which coats the chicken in buttermilk and egg before coating it in cornflakes, this recipe smothers the chicken in a seasoned sour cream mixture. If you’ve never had sour cream-coated baked chicken, it’s delicious! You could even mix in a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise for extra richness. The chicken is then placed in a pan, encased in crushed potato chips, and baked. There is no methodical breading process; just dump and bake.
Serve it with homemade or instant mashed potatoes (seriously, instant mashed potatoes are amazing!) and add an easy veggie like steamed broccoli or air-fried carrots.
Key Ingredients in Potato Chip Chicken
Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
- Chicken: I like making this recipe with thinly sliced chicken breasts (i.e., cutlets) or tenders. Many grocery stores sell “thinly sliced” chicken breasts. If this option isn’t available, that’s okay; it’s super easy to do. Simply slice your chicken breast in half horizontally to make two thinner pieces. You could also pound your chicken breasts to equal thickness using a meat mallet. However, I find this to be more work and significantly messier.
- Sour cream: The sour cream coats the chicken before encrusting it with the potato chips. It adds moisture, flavor, and tanginess and helps the chips adhere to the chicken.
- Seasoning and Spices: We’re seasoning this chicken with dried parsley, smoked parsley, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Potato chips: In this recipe, we’re replacing breadcrumbs with potato chips as the crunchy coating. I prefer to gently crush my potato chips to have a larger crumb texture but feel free to crush your potato chips as small or large as you’d like.
- Butter: Melted butter is drizzled over the coated chicken just before baking to help it brown and become even crispier.
Try Fun Chip Flavors
One of the best parts of Potato Chip Chicken is trying it with the many flavors of potato chips! My family’s favorite flavors are Classic, Sour Cream & Onion, Jalapeño, Sriracha, and Buffalo Wing, but just about any flavor will taste amazing!
How to Make Potato Chip Chicken
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 12-inch oven-safe skillet or 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
2. Prepare the chicken: If you’re starting with regular chicken breasts, start by slicing them into two thinner chicken breasts. (If you have the time, chilling the chicken in the freezer for 10-15 minutes before slicing is helpful. This firms the chicken up slightly, making it easier to slice.) Place the chicken breast on a cutting board. Use a knife to cut horizontally across the breast, starting at the thicker end. Keep the knife parallel to the cutting board. Transfer the thinly sliced chicken pieces to a large plate. Use a fork to gently poke several holes in the chicken (this allows the chicken to absorb the seasonings better and stay tender).
3. Prepare the sour cream mixture: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, dried parsley, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
4. Coat and assemble: Layer half of the crushed potato chips in your prepared skillet or baking dish. Spoon half of the sour cream mixture over the chicken and brush with a basting brush to coat evenly (see images). Transfer the chicken to the baking dish, placing them on the potato chips, sour cream side down. Spoon the remaining sour cream on top of the chicken and brush to coat evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining potato chips.
5. Drizzle with butter: Melt the butter in the microwave, then drizzle evenly over the chicken.
6. Bake: Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by a digital meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.
What to Serve with Potato Chip Chicken
Potato chip chicken loves at least a couple of good dipping sauces. Some of my favorites include,
- Ranch Dressing, Chipotle Ranch, or Sriracha Ranch (yes, ranch. I’m a big fan)
- Honey Mustard
- Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
- Remoulade Sauce
- Comeback Sauce
- Nashville Hot Sauce
Aside from dipping sauces, this chicken is great with creamy mac and cheese, steamed broccoli, fruit salad, or a fresh green salad.
Storage and Reheating
Let leftovers cool at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
The best methods for reheating are the oven or air fryer.
- Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated through and crispy.
- Air Fryer: Reheat at 350°F (175°C) for 4-6 minutes or until the chicken is warmed through and the potato chips are crispy.
I do not recommend freezing.
Tools for this Recipe
Check out all of my kitchen essentials. (Amazon affiliate links*)
- Digital meat thermometer – One of the most essential cooking tools, and it costs less than $10 (most of the time).
- Meat Mallet (if needed) – Pound the chicken using the flat end.
- A solid chef’s knife or santoku knife. This Wüsthof Classic IKON 7″ Santoku is my go-to for all chopping. The entire IKON series is fantastic (Wüsthof does not sponsor me; I just love them).
- This recipe is cooked in a baking dish or oven-safe skillet. I love my Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Skillet (it comes with a lid) and this 9×13-inch baking dish.
- A Basting Brush helps spread the sour cream mixture (if you don’t have one, that’s okay; the back of a spoon also works).
*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small percentage from qualifying purchases.
More Chicken Dinners
- Monterey Chicken
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken Recipe
- King Ranch Chicken Casserole
- Pineapple Chicken
- Boursin Chicken
- The Best Crispy Baked Chicken Legs
Potato Chip Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds thinly sliced chicken breasts
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 (8-ounce) bag potato chips, roughly crushed
- 1 stick butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 12-inch oven-safe skillet or 9×13-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Lay the chicken on a large plate and poke holes in it with a fork (this allows the chicken to absorb the seasonings and stay tender).
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, dried parsley, paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt.
- Layer half the crushed potato chips in your prepared skillet or baking dish.
- Spoon half of the sour cream mixture over the chicken and brush with a basting brush to coat evenly.
- Transfer the chicken to the baking dish, placing them on the potato chips, sour cream side down.
- Spoon the remaining sour cream on the chicken and brush to coat evenly. Sprinkle with the remaining potato chips.
- Melt the butter in the microwave, then drizzle over the chicken.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken registers 160 degrees Fahrenheit as measured by a digital meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- This recipe is best served immediately. Cool leftovers at room temperature for about 20-30 minutes before transferring to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. Freezing is not recommended.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
