If you’re under 56, you probably won’t remember this old commercial. I do because it was on all the time. Back then, there was no such thing as Cable, no Smart TV with 1000 options, and no remotes—you had to actually get up to change the channel. And there were only three, maybe five channels to choose from!

While researching air fryers last week, I had a total flashback to Shake ‘n Bake. I know, I’m late to the air fryer game—they’ve been a thing since 2017, and I’m only now jumping on the bandwagon. Honestly, I always thought they were kind of redundant. Why get another appliance when my professional range can handle everything short of slicing and dicing?

Then I realized: air fryers reheat food in two minutes, make fries perfectly crispy with almost no oil, and are a breeze to clean. So, I caved and got us a 6.8qt Dual Blaze air fryer. Now it’s “fried” chicken time, complete with homemade Shake ‘n Bake crumbs. One bite, and it’s like the ’70s came back on a piece of chicken. When you make this I dare you to not hear yourself say, “and I helped!”

Shake and Bake Redux

Ingredients:
1 ½C plain breadcrumbs
¼C olive oil
1T sea salt
1t sugar
1t paprika
1 ½t onion powder
1 ½t garlic powder
½t freshly cracked black pepper
1t dried basil
1t dried parsley
2# boneless skin-on chicken breast (see Note below)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400° or an air fryer to 375°.

Combine all ingredients for the crumb mixture in a bowl and whisk to combine, making sure all the olive oil has coated the bread crumbs. Using a fork helps break up the clumps that form as you mix. If the crumbs seem dry, add another 1t of oil. Press the chicken breasts into the crumbs, giving the crumbs a chance to adhere. Use your hands to press the crumbs in. Gently place them on a baking pan, skin side up, and pop in the oven.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes – depending on how thick the chicken breasts are – until golden brown and the meat reads 165°F on an instant read thermometer. If you’re using an air fryer, set the temperature to 375°F and reduce the cooking time to about 17 minutes. Be sure to check your air fryer’s specifications, as models and cooking time can vary. No one likes dry chicken!

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before slicing to lock in the juices.

Note: When I can’t find local, pasture-raised chicken I opt for boneless, skin-on Misty Knoll chicken breasts. They’re larger (2 breasts = almost 2 lb) so they need a longer time to bake – after the shake, of course.

Wine pairing: Champagne, a crisp Rosé, or Sancerre