Do you remember seeing those Shake n Bake commercials in the 1980s, with Alice from The Brady Bunch. Back then, when almost everyone watched The Brady Bunch, she was the perfect person to promote anything to do with cooking.
Shake n Bake was all about convenience, and really, what could be simpler. Put the seasoning mix in a bag with a chicken or pork chop. Shake the bag to coat the meat, then put the meat on a baking sheet. Bake it in the oven and the meat comes out crispy. That’s it. Not only is it easy, but it is also a healthier way to cook than deep frying.
Still love Shake ‘n Bake, and every once in a while I buy the box of seasoned bread crumbs. Considering that it is essentially bread crumbs and seasoning, the box is expensive.
Making your own homemade shake and bake is very simple and way cheaper. You likely have all the ingredients in your pantry right now!!.
Shake and bake coatings are a quick and easy way to give meats like pork and chicken a great taste and crunch. The seasoned breadcrumb coating provides a tasty, crispy exterior when baked. But can you use a pork shake and bake mix on chicken instead?.
As someone who loves experimenting in the kitchen, I was curious to find out. Pork and chicken have similar mild flavors, so a coating designed for one could potentially work for the other. But how would the taste and texture actually turn out? I decided to give it a test and settle this cooking question.
This article is about my experience coating chicken with a pork shake and bake recipe.
- How pork and chicken differ for shaking and baking
- Tips for preparing chicken with pork coating
- How the baked chicken turned out taste and texture-wise
- My verdict on whether pork shake and bake improves chicken
Let’s get shaking and find out if this handy ingredient swap is worth trying in your own oven!
Comparing Pork and Chicken for Shaking and Baking
Before you start, it’s helpful to know a few basic things that make the shaking and baking process different for pork and chicken:
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Fat content – Pork is higher in fat than lean chicken breast. More fat means moister, more tender results.
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Cook time – Pork takes longer to cook through than chicken. Chicken can dry out if baked too long.
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Flavor – Pork is richer in flavor. Chicken is milder tasting. The coating flavors may overpower it
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Skin – Pork skin gets super crispy when baked. Chicken skin may lack the same crunchy texture.
Knowing this, I expected shake and bake designed for pork may overpower more delicate chicken. But with a few tweaks, I thought it could still potentially work. Time to put it to the test!
Tips for Preparing Chicken with a Pork Shake and Bake Coating
To give the pork coating the best chance at success, I kept these preparation tips in mind:
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Use bone-in chicken – The bones add moisture and prevent drying out, Thighs or drumsticks work well
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Brush with oil – Lightly oiling the chicken helps the coating stick and enhances browning.
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Dip in buttermilk – Buttermilk acts like glue for the coating and keeps the chicken tender.
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Adjust bake time – Pork needs more time to reach safe temp. Chicken cooks faster, so watch closely.
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Rest before serving – Letting it rest 5-10 minutes allows juices to reabsorb for moistness.
With my chicken prepped for optimal baking success, it was time to coat and bake!
Coating and Baking the Chicken Step-By-Step
I followed my usual process for shake and bake, using a pork variety on chicken. Here’s how it went:
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Pat chicken dry and brush all over with oil. Dip in buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
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Place coating in a bag. Add chicken pieces and shake to completely coat.
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Arrange chicken on a baking sheet. Lightly spritz tops with oil.
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Bake at 375F for 45-60 minutes, until coating is crispy and chicken is 165F.
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Let chicken rest 5-10 minutes before serving.
The chicken baked up with a beautiful, crunchy golden crust from the pork coating. Time for the all-important taste test!
The Result: How the Pork Coated Chicken Turned Out
Taking my first bites of the pork shake and baked chicken, both the coating and the meat exceeded my expectations:
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Coating – Crispy, crunchy breading with great savory, seasoned flavor. Held up well to baking.
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Chicken – Stayed juicy and tender thanks to the buttermilk and bone. No drying out.
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Flavor – The herbs and spices in the pork coating complemented the chicken nicely without overpowering it.
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Overall – Big crunch with lots of added flavor. A win-win combination!
While you can definitely still taste the pork-based seasoning, it wasn’t too strong or overwhelming on the mild chicken. Definitely no weird or off tastes.
The Verdict: Does Pork Coating Improve Chicken When Shaking and Baking?
After conducting this kitchen experiment, do I recommend using pork shake and bake coatings on chicken? The answer is a resounding yes!
The pork seasoning provides Big, bold flavor and satisfying crunch that regular breadcrumbs just can’t compete with. As long as you pick the right chicken cut and adjust bake times, the pork coating takes ordinary weeknight chicken from blah to ta-dah!
I suggest shaking things up by:
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Using pork coating on chicken wings for finger-licking game day snacking.
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Coating chicken tenders in pork shake and bake for kids who won’t eat their nuggets plain.
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Going half and half with pork and chicken coating for customizable crunch.
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Spicing up the pork coating with added garlic powder, paprika, or cayenne.
The possibilities are endless for putting this handy pantry staple to double duty. Just use caution if anyone has a pork allergy.
For even more crunchy chicken inspiration, check out my recipes for air fryer chicken wings, corn flake chicken tenders, and oven fried chicken drums. Crispy chicken never goes out of style!
What Are The Ingredients For Homemade Shake And Bake
Here is what you will need:
- In this recipe, the seasoning is already added, so I don’t season the breadcrumbs.
- vegetable oil—the oil will help the seasoning stick to the breadcrumbs and cover the meat.
- minced onion
- paprika
- salt
- black pepper
- cayenne pepper
- garlic powder
- dry parsley
- basil
- oregano
- white sugar
It’s possible to change the spices in this recipe to make it taste a little different. For example, you could use Mexican, Cajun or Creole, Curry, or any other spices you like.
Use a metal whisk or a fork to stir all the ingredients together in the bowl. As you stir, you’ll see that the oil starts to cover the bread crumbs, making them a little lumpy.
Keep stirring until there is an even consistency throughout the breading.
What Kind Of Bags To Use?
To make your own shake-n-bake, you will need to get some clear plastic food-safe bags that you can use to shake the meat in the seasoned breading. I buy a pack of bread bags that are great for storing fresh baked bread. Zipper lock freezer bags will also work fin as well.
Baked Chicken Coating (similar to Shake n Bake)
Can you use chicken shake and bake on pork?
The short answer is yes, you can use chicken Shake and Bake on pork. The seasoning mix is essentially a blend of breadcrumbs and spices, which can be used on a variety of meats. However, it’s important to note that the cooking times and temperatures may differ between chicken and pork.
What are the benefits of eating baked chicken?
Roast chicken provides a good amount of protein with lower amounts of saturated fat and cholesterol, which contains more red meat. In addition, chicken meat contains large amounts of niacin and phosphorus, as well as small amounts of other minerals and also vitamin B-12, which is part of the beneficial vitamin B complex.
Can you use Shake n Bake with chicken?
The instructions on the original Shake N Bake box suggest using the seasoning mix with various cuts of chicken. So, try it with thighs, legs, wings, breasts, or a combination of them all. You can even use pork chops, too! Just keep in mind that the cooking time will vary depending on the cut of the meat and whether they’re bone-in or boneless.
Is shake and bake good for pork?
Additionally, the flavor profile of the chicken Shake and Bake may not be the best match for pork. Chicken tends to have a milder flavor than pork, so you may want to add some additional spices or herbs to the mix to enhance the flavor of the pork. What Is Shake And Bake?