Stovetop recipe for spicy oats crusted chicken thighs. This is an easy recipe with lots of flavors. You can adjust the spices to your liking and make a milder or spicier version. With a little planning ahead, these oatmeal-crusted chicken makes a delightful meal. You will also find some tips and tricks to get the perfect, delightfully crunchy, and spicy oatmeal-crusted chicken thighs.
We like this recipe for the oats crusted chicken because it’s ridiculously easy, super tasty, and comes together quickly.
Yes, there is some additional time required for marination, but that should not deter you from making this. With a little planning ahead, you can marinate it in the morning/early evening/late afternoon and still make it for dinner.
what are the ingredients you need to make these spicy oats crusted chicken thighs?
Full recipe + measurements + video can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken thighs
- Oats
- Cayenne pepper
- Kashmiri red chilli powder
- Cumin powder
- Garam masala powder
- Black pepper
- salt to taste
- Garlic &Ginger
- White vinegar
- Cornstarch
- salt & pepper
- oil for shallow frying
Chicken thighs - I have used skinless, boneless chicken thighs for this recipe. Every time I use skinless and boneless thighs,. I trim off the excess fat from them.
Oats - I always have old fashioned oats in my pantry. I regularly use them in my smoothies to kick off my mornings on a healthy note. I have suggested coarsely ground oats (one whoosh in the food processor or mixer-grinder), BUT that is an optional step. You can directly use the oats without coarsely grinding it. I just felt that coarsely grinding it added to the aesthetics and you also get the crunchy oats to eat.
Cornstarch -Cornstarch acts as a binder and also gives a nice crispy exterior for our spicy chicken thighs.
Spices-For this recipe, we use cayenne pepper (optional), and the fiery red color comes from the Kashmiri red chilli powder. A good substitute would be the sweet paprika pepper. There is also cumin powder and garam masala powder to amp up the flavors. Freshly ground black pepper adds a lot of oomph and flavor to this.
Ginger and garlic-ginger and garlic are pretty standard ingredients for most of the Indian inspired dishes. They pack a punch of flavor even in a little quantity. I mostly use fresh ginger and garlic to get the maximum flavor. But store-bought ginger garlic paste definitely works in the recipe. Some brands of store-bought ginger-garlic paste have vinegar. If that is the case, adjust the quantity of the vinegar in the recipe.
White Vinegar-I have used distilled white vinegar in the recipe. We use about a tablespoon and it is not overly over powering. You can use lime juice instead.
What are the cooking steps involved in the recipe?
The recipe is pretty straight forward. Nothing complicated or tricky in the recipe.
- Make the marinade paste.
- Marinate the chicken thighs for 2-3 hours.
- Combine the oats and cornstarch to make the coating.
- Coat the marinated chicken pieces and shallow fry.
Can i use chicken breasts in the recipe?
Yes, you can definitely use chicken breast to make this. Adjust the cooking times depending on the thickness of the chicken breast. FDA (opens in a new tab)recommends an internal temperature of 165 degree Fahrenheit as the safe internal temperature for poultry. If in doubt, use a good food thermometer to test the temperature.
Can i make this less spicy?
YES! you can make this spicy oats crusted chicken highs less spicy. To make a milder version, reduce the quantity of the cayenne pepper or skip it altogether. You can also reduce the quantity of Kashmiri red chilli powder and garam masala. You can also reduce the quantity of ginger and garlic if you do not like those flavors. I would also recommend reducing the black pepper powder to make a milder version.
But definitely use salt and pepper while making the oats coating. This helps to keep the outside coating flavorful.
a little more information on marinating chicken thighs
The original recipe came from a relative (my SIL's Mother-in-law) and she suggested marinating the chicken thighs/breasts for at least 2-3 hours. The more you let it marinate, the more flavors it develops. Cover with cling wrap and let the chicken pieces marinate in the refrigerator. Get it out of the refrigerator just when you are ready to shallow fry them.
Serving Suggestions for spicy oats crusted chicken thighs
- In the above picture, I have served it with wild rice (check out my recipe for wild rice with garbanzo beans. Here I have used the exact same recipe minus the garbanzo beans). It becomes a well-balanced meal with carbs, vegetables, and protein. it is quite a filling meal for your busy weeknights.
- Another way I serve this flavorful spicy chicken thighs is with some mashed potatoes. Oh so good! Seriously! The mild taste of mashed potatoes goes so well with the spicy chicken thighs making it an awesome combination. I also include some steamed green beans flavored with some salt and pepper.
- A low carb option would be to serve this with a side salad. And voila!
Storing leftovers and reheating
Since there is 2-3 hours of marination time required, I definitely encourage you to plan ahead.
Personally, I prefer these fresh - right out of the skillet! Since it is an easy recipe, I just make the required quantity. But, if you have leftovers, do save them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Microwaving the chicken thighs will dry them out a little bit. You can reheat on the skillet if that is an option and would give better results. You could also reheat in an oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the pieces are warmed thoroughly (l65 degrees Fahrenheit).
Additional notes for spicy oats crusted chicken thighs
- 1 CUP = 250 ML. (US cups are typically 240 ml. You can use US cups with no significant change to the dish)
- 600 gms is approximately 1.3 pounds. I usually get about 5 boneless skinless thighs for about 1.38 pounds from my grocery store.
- Grams to cups measurements – we strive to provide these conversions as accurately as possible. There might be some slight variations depending on the brand, weighing scale, etc.
- Serving size – We usually consider this as one chicken thigh per person along with the other dishes I have mentioned in the serving suggestions. . But then there are times when my hungry teenager wants more than one :). Always adjust the serving size to suit your dietary needs.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet. If required, shallow fry in batches.
- If you are following a gluten-free diet, make sure you read the labels and are buying the ingredients which are gluten-free.
- Discard any remaining coating mix or marinade.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
More Chicken recipes on the blog
apart from a delicious minced chicken recipe (keema matar) and a cilantro flavored chicken curry, check out these ones!
Spicy Oats Crusted Chicken Thighs
Ingredients
- ½ tsp Cayenne pepper; optional
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; adjust to taste
- 1 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Garam masala powder; to taste
- 1 tsp Black pepper powder; to taste
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp crushed garlic; to taste
- 1 tbsp Crushed ginger; to taste
- 1 tbsp Distilled white vinegar
- 600 gms Chicken thighs; skinless &boneless. trim off the excess fat
- ⅓ cup Oats; coarsely ground
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- oil for shallow frying
- finely chopped cilantro or parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a clean bowl, add the following - cayenne pepper, Kashmiri red chilli powder, cumin powder, garam masala, black pepper powder, salt, and distilled white vinegar. Mix well with a spatula to make the marinating paste.
- Place the chicken thighs into the bowl and using your hands, coat the chicken thighs with the paste. Cover the bowl with a cling wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.
- After marination, when you are ready to shallow fry the chicken thighs, make the coating by mixing coarsely ground oats, cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
- Heat oil in a large skillet on medium heat.
- Coat the marinated chicken thighs with the oasts coating mixture by gently pressing the mix onto the surface of the chicken thighs. Shake off the excess. Place the coated chicken thighs on to the skillet once the oil is hot. Repeat with the rest o the chicken thighs.
- Cook on each side until browned and cooked through for about 5-7 minutes on each side or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once cooked, transfer to a serving plate.
- Serve hot garnished with finely chopped cilantro or parsley.
Video
Notes
- 1 CUP = 250 ML. (US cups are typically 240 ml. You can use US cups with no significant change to the dish)
- 600 gms is approximately 1.3 pounds. I usually get about 5 boneless skinless thighs for about 1.38 pounds from my grocery store.
- Grams to cups measurements – we strive to provide these conversions as accurately as possible. There might be some slight variations depending on the brand, weighing scale, etc.
- Serving size – We usually consider this as one chicken thigh per person along with the other dishes I have mentioned in the serving suggestions. . But then there are times when my hungry teenager wants more than one :). Always adjust the serving size to suit your dietary needs.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet. If required, shallow fry in batches.
- If you are following a gluten-free diet, make sure you read the labels and are buying the ingredients which are gluten-free.
- Discard any remaining coating mix or marinade.
- Wash your hands with soap and water after handling raw meat.
Sandhya says
Wonderful chicken recipe! Everyone loved it! It has become a weekly lunch now.
Framed Recipes says
Thank you so much.
Seema says
It’s a wonderful recipe, me and my family loved it.
Framed Recipes says
Thank you so much, Seema. So happy that you all enjoyed it.
kaka says
Loved this! Perfect for a spice lover like me
Framed Recipes says
Thank you!
Alexandra says
Love the delicious flavours!
Framed Recipes says
Thank you!