I love the Cap’n Crunch Chicken at Planet Hollywood! I honestly can’t go there and without ordering this favorite appetizer. This Captain Crunch Chicken has a delicious savory sweet crunch, and a flavor unlike anything else you have tried.
Captain Crunch Chicken
I originally found a copycat recipe for this Captain Crunch Chicken from an old Top Secret Recipes cookbook, but after making it the first time I made some major adjustments. Our version turned out so much better and the breading stayed on like it was supposed to, and tastes so much closer to the original at the restaurant. This chicken is crunchy and yummy and bursting with flavor. The sweet honey mustard sauce balances out the flavors of the chicken perfectly. We also sometimes like to dip the chicken in fry sauce (recipe HERE). It also makes a great appetizer for having friends over to watch your favorite team play.
This recipe for Captain Crunch Chicken is a real kid pleaser, my daughter couldn’t get enough of them! Kids love the lightly sweet crunchy flavor of this chicken and tangy dip. My kids especially like to make them with our potato wedges and some carrot sticks or cucumber slices for a dinner of finger foods. This chicken is a meal the whole family will love again and again.
More Chicken Recipes
We have so many delicious chicken recipes, it’s hard to pick a favorite. We like to get the big bags of frozen chicken and use it to make all kinds of dishes. You can find all our best chicken recipes HERE.
More Copycat Recipes
If you like copycat restaurant recipes you are in luck! We have a big selection of restaurant favorites from sit down dining, to quick service, to fast food selections that you have got to check out. Find the full list HERE.
How To Make Captain Crunch Chicken
Ingredients
- vegetable oil for frying
- 2 skinless chicken breast fillets
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- 2 cups Cap’n Crunch cereal
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup Wondra flour
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Creole Mustard Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
Honey Mustard Sauce:
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Mix together and chill in refrigerator.
Instructions
- Cut each chicken fillet, lengthwise, into 5 long slices pounded flat (chicken fingers). Put in a bowl, cover with buttermilk, and marinate overnight. Just before breading, mix in an egg to the marinade. Smash the Cap’n Crunch into crumbs using a food processor, or put the cereal into a plastic bag and start pounding. Combine the cereal, crumbs, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Remove chicken from milk and completely coat it with the dry mixture. Discard leftover milk. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Remove to paper towels or a rack to drain. Serve hot with chilled Creole mustard sauce on the side for dipping. We also dipped it in fry sauce and that was good too.
Melody says
I tried this many years ago and it is so good! I had totally forgotten about it though until now. Thanks for sharing this great recipe!
Aaron and Kristi says
Great recipe!!! I made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it (which for my picky family is saying a lot!!!) Thanks!
Erin says
Now I know what to make with all of that Cap'n Crunch cereal I got for cheap at Smith's!
Marianne says
Do you think it could be made in a healthier way-baking it??
Jasmine says
Just made this its amazing. I only let it marinate in the buttermilk for 2 hours because I decided to make it last minute, but its still so good. My twins love it! Thanks for the recipe!
Kathy says
In the receipe, does it have to be Wondra flour or is that just a name brand? Can it be just regular flour?
Erica says
Wondra flour is just a lighter flour that makes it extra tasty… regular flour would work OK though!
sherry says
what is fry sauce please let me know thank u
Donna says
Fry sauce is kind of a regional thing in Utah and Idaho. It’s basically ketchup and mayonnaise mixed together. Some people get all fancy and add a tiny bit of mustard or BBQ sauce too. You can customize it however you want. All proportions are “to taste”. Start with a big blob of ketchup and add mayo until it’s nice and light pink and creamy. Yummy!
Tanya says
This was great! I used the exact ingredients and fried it in my “Mac Fry.” The texture of the chicken came out crispy on the outside, moist on the inside. Mine must have been really thin because they cooked in less than two minutes. My entire family of seven ate it which is saying a lot.
Donna says
when you put in buttermilk, put seasoning in buttermilk, then your chicken absorbs the seasoning. fresh herbs work real well. i have tried other coatings and lots of other cereals work also. as long as you are relaxed and cook with love your dinner or anything comes out great. also use friends family, and neighbors as testers. just have fun.!!!!!
Echo says
Thank you so much for your comment – I agree 100%
preceah says
thank you for post this ..i love it
Jen says
For the cereal do you use all of it or do you leave out the crunch berries?
Erica says
No crunch berries. You can get plain cereal without the crunch berries so you don’t have to pick it out. They even have a variety that you can get at Winco in their bulk bins without the berries. Hope this helps!
Val O. says
I wonder how this would work in an air fryer?
Favorite Family Recipes says
We aren’t super familiar with how to convert recipes to the Air Fryer. If you are able to figure it out, please come back and let us know!
baltisraul says
Just tried this last evening. I took Donna’s advice and put some of the seasonings in the buttermilk. Nice touch. To keep it crunchy, place on a wire rack. Placing fried foods on paper towels will steam the crust and will make it less crunchy. Next time I will try boneless skinless thighs
Favorite Family Recipes says
Great ideas, thank you for haring your wire rack idea! Definitely trying that next time!