Homemade Shake-and-Bake Chicken (Easy DIY Copycat Recipe)

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Make homemade Shake-and-Bake chicken with a simple seasoned breadcrumb coating. Crispy, flavorful, nostalgic, and perfect for easy weeknight dinners.

If you grew up in the 1960s or 70s, chances are good that Shake-and-Bake chicken made an appearance on your family dinner table. That crispy, savory coating was unmistakable—and shaking the chicken in the bag was half the fun!

I decided it was time to see if I could recreate that familiar flavor and texture from scratch.

And friends, this one took me straight back.

When I told my daughter Randi that I was developing a homemade Shake-and-Bake recipe for her blog, she immediately responded, “And I helped!”

If you're from my generation, you probably heard the old commercial in your head before you finished reading that sentence. Some things just stick with you!

The best part? This homemade version uses ordinary pantry ingredients, and the dry coating can be made ahead and stored for future meals.

You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

I tested mine on small boneless, skinless chicken tenders, and they were wonderfully moist inside with that familiar seasoned coating on the outside.

Ingredients for Homemade Shake-and-Bake Mix

Here's what you'll need:

• 1½ cups fine, dry breadcrumbs
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, lightly crushed
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• ¾ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• ½ teaspoon dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
• ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

For the Chicken

• About 2 pounds chicken tenders, breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or other chicken pieces
• 1–2 tablespoons vegetable or avocado oil, just enough to very lightly coat the chicken
• Homemade Shake-and-Bake mixture, as needed

A Note About the Breadcrumbs

I originally developed this recipe with panko breadcrumbs, and that's what I'm recommending in the primary recipe. Then, wouldn't you know it, when it came time to test the recipe I discovered I was out of panko. Story of my life!

I did have Ritz crackers, so I finely crushed enough to measure ½ cup and used those instead. They worked beautifully. If using buttery crackers in place of panko, I recommend reducing the salt slightly. I used 1¼ teaspoons salt in my Ritz version and thought the flavor was just right. So, yes: finely crushed buttery crackers are a tested substitute!

How to Make Homemade Shake-and-Bake Chicken

Step 1: Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease the foil with cooking spray or a thin film of oil.

Step 2: Make the Dry Coating

Place all of the dry coating ingredients into a large bowl and stir thoroughly. Make sure the seasonings are evenly distributed throughout the breadcrumbs.

Step 3: Set Aside What You Don't Need

This is important! If you're making more coating than you need for one meal, remove the portion you're saving before you begin coating raw chicken. Transfer the extra dry mixture to an airtight container and store it separately. Never return coating that has been in contact with raw chicken to your storage container.

Step 4: Lightly Oil the Chicken

You don't need milk, buttermilk, or an egg wash for this recipe. Drizzle the chicken with just enough oil to give it a very thin coating. Toss until all surfaces are lightly covered. You aren't trying to soak the chicken in oil. You're simply giving the dry crumbs something to grab onto.

Step 5: Shake!

Put some of the dry coating into a large zip-top bag. Add one or two pieces of chicken at a time, seal the bag, and shake until the chicken is thoroughly coated. Remove the chicken and place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Discard any coating left in the bag after it has come into contact with raw chicken.

Step 6: Bake

Bake the chicken uncovered at 400°F until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.

Cooking time will vary considerably depending on the chicken you're using. My small, fully thawed boneless skinless chicken tenders took 18 minutes and came out incredibly moist.

Larger chicken breasts or bone-in pieces will require considerably more time, so always rely on internal temperature rather than the clock.

What Did I Think?

This was one of those recipe tests that made me smile. It tasted just like I remembered.

The seasoning was right. The texture was right. And my little chicken tenders were incredibly moist inside.

During my first test, I experimented with adding some oil directly to the coating. I found that it caused the fine crumbs to clump together and made them a little harder to adhere evenly.

For that reason, I prefer keeping the coating completely dry and putting a very light coating of oil on the chicken instead.

It also means the unused dry mix can remain a separate pantry staple, ready for another meal.

What Else Can I Use Homemade Shake-and-Bake On?

Don't stop with chicken! This seasoned breadcrumb mixture can be used in all sorts of ways.

Pork chops: This might be my first choice after chicken. Lightly oil the pork, shake it in the coating, and bake until safely cooked.

Pork tenderloin medallions: Slice a tenderloin into thick medallions, lightly oil, coat, and bake.

Fish: Try it with cod, tilapia, haddock, or catfish. Instead of shaking delicate fish in a bag, lightly oil the fillets and gently press the crumbs onto the surface.

Chicken nuggets: Cut boneless chicken into bite-sized pieces and make homemade Shake-and-Bake nuggets.

Chicken cutlets: Thin chicken cutlets are perfect when you want a quick weeknight meal.

Vegetables: Try the mixture on zucchini, yellow squash, green beans, or even potato wedges. You'll only need enough coating to give the vegetables a light, seasoned crust.

Variations

Looking for ways to mix things up? Here are some fun suggestions!

Spicy Shake-and-Bake

Add ¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or your favorite chili powder.

Smoky Version

Use smoked paprika in place of some or all of the regular paprika.

Italian-Style

Add additional oregano, parsley, basil, and a little grated Parmesan cheese.

Garlic Parmesan

Add ¼–½ cup finely grated Parmesan and increase the garlic powder slightly. If adding Parmesan, reduce the salt to compensate.

Buttery Cracker Version

Replace the ½ cup panko with ½ cup finely crushed buttery crackers. Reduce the salt from 1½ teaspoons to about 1¼ teaspoons.

This is the version I actually tested, and it was delicious!

What to Serve With Shake-and-Bake Chicken

This is old-fashioned comfort food, so I say keep the sides simple.

I served mine with warm buttered pasta, and it made a terrific easy supper.

You could also serve this chicken with:

• Rustic Mashed potatoes
• Smoked Mac and cheese
• Swamp Potatoes with Green Beans
• Honey Cream Corn
• Coleslaw
• Sweet and Savory Southwest Beans
• 2-Ingredient Biscuits

This is also the kind of crispy chicken kids tend to love, so don't be afraid to keep things very simple.

The Best Way to Reheat It

Step away from the microwave if you can! The air fryer is perfect for reheating this chicken because it brings that crumb coating back to life.

Reheat refrigerated or thawed chicken at about 350°F, checking small tenders after approximately 4–5 minutes. Larger pieces will need longer. Heat until the chicken is hot throughout.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Little Taste of Nostalgia

Food has a funny way of transporting us through time. For those of us who were children in the 60s and 70s, some foods aren't simply foods. They're memories of weeknight dinners, crowded kitchen tables, television commercials we can still quote decades later, and moms trying to get supper on the table.

That's what this recipe did for me. I set out to make a DIY version of an old favorite, but the moment I tasted that crispy coating, I knew exactly what it reminded me of.

And apparently Randi helped. 😉

Thanks for Stopping By!

If you make this delicious recipe and enjoy it please leave a comment or review. And before you go, please pin some photos to your Pinterest boards!

About the Cook

I'm Janice, a Texas author, baker, blogger, and lifelong lover of recipes that bring people together. These days I especially enjoy recreating the simple, comforting foods many of us grew up eating—the kind of recipes that don't require fancy ingredients but somehow manage to bring back a whole lot of memories.

If a recipe makes me say, “Oh, I remember this!” after the first bite, I know I've found something worth sharing.