Crispy Cornmeal-Crusted Chicken
This pan-fried chicken with creamy tomato gravy is a homey dish with a Southern-style twist. The chicken breasts are coated in a mix of cornmeal and breadcrumbs for extra crunch, then shallow-fried until tender and juicy on the inside and crisp and golden on the outside.
The easy-to-make tomato gravy brings the dish together with a balance of savory onion, sweet tomato, and a touch of creaminess. Serve it over mashed potatoes, rice, or buttermilk biscuits to round out the meal.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
CHICKEN BREASTS: Choose boneless, skinless chicken breasts of similar size (about 5 ounces each) for even cooking. Gently pound them to an even thickness for quick frying and a tender texture. You could also use tenderloins – no pounding required.
CORNMEAL AND BREADCRUMBS: A mix of fine yellow cornmeal and dry breadcrumbs gives the coating just the right texture—crispy, but not too coarse. If you only have stone-ground cornmeal, pulse it a few times in a food processor for a finer texture.
CHICKEN BROTH AND MILK: The combination gives the tomato gravy a creamy consistency without going overboard on richness. Whole milk is best, but 2% milk is okay too or, if you’re feeling indulgent, use half-and-half or cream.
Prep Overview
How to Make Pan-Fried Chicken with Tomato Gravy
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
Gently pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness and prepare the egg wash and cornmeal-breadcrumb mixture in two separate dishes. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg, then coat with the cornmeal and crumbs.
Heat some neutral oil in a frying pan, and fry the chicken until golden and crisp on both sides, then transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet and place in a low oven to keep warm while you make the gravy.
To prepare the gravy, melt the butter in the same skillet, whisk in the flour and cook until light golden. Add the onion and garlic, sauté a bit longer, then add the diced tomatoes, broth, and milk. Simmer until thickened, season to taste and serve over the chicken.
Serving Suggestions
To serve, plate individual servings of chicken, top each with a little tomato gravy and serve the rest at the table. Soak up the extra sauce with mashed potatoes or steamed rice. Or, for a real Southern meal, serve buttermilk biscuits and slow-braised green beans with bacon.
More Breaded Chicken Recipes
If you like this crispy, cornmeal-crusted chicken, try our Spicy Pan-Fried Chicken Tenders with Tex-Mex flavors, or simple Breaded Chicken Cutlets drizzled with a creamy shallot-honey pan sauce. Both dishes the same reliable shallow-frying method for crisp, juicy results every time.
Pan-Fried Chicken with Tomato Gravy
Ingredients
- 1-1/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breast, (about 4 pieces)
- 1 large egg
- 1-1/2 tablespoons milk
- 3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Vegetable oil
For the tomato gravy
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°F and line a shallow baking pan with foil or parchment.
- If your chicken breasts have tenderloins attached, remove them and reserve for another use. Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound gently to an even 1/2-inch thickness so they cook evenly.
- In a shallow dish, whisk the egg and milk until blended. On a separate plate, combine the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper.
- Working with one piece at a time, dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Press both sides into the cornmeal mixture until evenly coated, pressing lightly so the crumbs adhere well.
- Add about ⅛ inch of oil to a large, heavy skillet and heat over medium-high. When a pinch of crumbs sizzles immediately on contact, the oil is ready.
- Work in batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan and fry the chicken in a single layer until golden and crisp, turning once, 2-1/2 to 3 minutes per side. Check for doneness with an instant read thermometer, and transfer the chicken to the prepared baking pan when they reach an internal temperature of 160°F. Keep warm in the oven while making the gravy.
Make the gravy
- Wipe any excess oil from the skillet, then melt the butter over medium heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk until smooth. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, just until the mixture turns pale golden and develops a nutty aroma.
- Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Lower the heat if the mixture begins to brown.
- Whisk in the diced tomatoes with their juices, chicken broth, and milk. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce thickens to a creamy, gravy-like consistency.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the gravy seems too thick, whisk in small amounts of additional broth and milk in equal parts until it reaches your desired texture.
- To serve, spoon a little of the tomato gravy over each chicken breast and pass the rest at the table.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
