11 Delicious Oven-Fried Recipes that Skip the Olive Oil

Mix-and-Match Baked Chicken Fingers and Dipping Sauces
Photo: Kritsada Panichgul

Trying to eat healthier or cut down the amount of oil in your meals, but craving french fries? Good news: You can make many of your favorite fried foods with the help of your oven rather than a vat of oil or deep-fat fryer. Our oven-fried recipes use clever breading ingredients and minimal fat to achieve their golden-brown crust. Read on for crispy oven-baked fish, pork chops, tofu, and a few of our favorite oven-fried chicken recipes.

01 of 11

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Fries

Spicy Oven-Baked Fish and Sweet Potato Fries
Blaine Moats

For a healthier meal that the entire family will enjoy, try this amazing sheet pan dinner of crispy fish and sweet potato fries. A double-dip in flour and chili-spiked bread crumbs gives these flaky, oven-baked fish fillets their irresistible crunch. Even better, the oven-fried fish only takes 20 minutes to cook.

02 of 11

Battered Asparagus and Ham Hoagies

Battered Asparagus & Ham Hoagies
Andy Lyons

Bet you haven't had asparagus like this before! Sure, those green stalks are a delicious roasted side dish, but here they are the oven-fried star of the show. The asparagus gets a crunchy panko coating seasoned with lemon and garlic before getting nice and crispy in the oven without any added oil. Pile them up on your hoagie with prosciutto or ham and you've got one delicious sandwich.

03 of 11

Mix-and-Match Baked Chicken Fingers and Dipping Sauces

Mix-and-Match Baked Chicken Fingers and Dipping Sauces
Kritsada Panichgul

Chicken fingers are a kid's best friend. But with this many options for coatings and sauces, it will become a favorite (and fun) food for you, too! This healthier oven-fried chicken recipe gives you five different options for a crispy coating including pretzels and cheddar-flavored crackers. From there, make one (or more) of our six dipping sauce recipes.

Buy It: Nordic Ware Naturals Baker's Half Sheet ($13, Target)

04 of 11

Air-Fryer Pickle Chips

Air-Fryer Pickle Chips
Matthew Clark

Technically an air fryer works the same as a convection oven, so we're letting the handy appliance have a moment in this oven-fried recipe roundup. Our Test Kitchen turned your favorite fried pub snack into a delicious healthy appetizer you won't be able to stop munching on. One recipe makes a whopping 90 pickle chips and serves six people. Here that means you can have about 15 baked fried pickles for less than 200 calories.

Buy It: PowerXL 5-Quart Single Basket Air Fryer ($60, Target)

05 of 11

Fried Smashed Potatoes

Fried Smashed Potatoes
Jason Donnelly

You'll never miss the deep fryer once you try these top-rated oven-fried potatoes. A light brush of olive oil along with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, parsley, and Parmesan are all you need to turn plain potatoes into an irresistible oven-fried side dish.

Test Kitchen Tip: Use a potato masher ($16, OXO) to smash your potatoes for an easy, even press that won't risk burning your hands.

06 of 11

Sweet Herbed Oven-Fried Chicken

Sweet Herbed Oven-Fried Chicken
Blaine Moats

What's the secret to this chicken's delish savory, crunchy exterior? Two types of cereal (cornflakes and Kashi)! Add some snipped fresh basil and those plain boneless chicken breasts are now a delicious entreé.

07 of 11

Southern Style "Fried" Catfish and Green Beans

Southern Style "Fried" Catfish and Green Beans
Greg DuPree

Southern cuisine is known for battering and frying pretty much anything. And while it tastes amazing, it's not the most heart-healthy option. This delicious air-fryer recipe is the perfect way to enjoy fried fish with way less grease. Seriously, all you need is flour, an egg, and a spritz of cooking spray to get these catfish fillets ready for "frying."

08 of 11

Oven-Fried Pork Chops

Oven-Fried Pork Chops
Jacob Fox

For an amazing healthy pork recipe that tastes fried without the added oil, this is the recipe for you. Just two tablespoons of butter are all you need to perfectly brown four thick, juicy pork chops. Take dinner over the top by serving them alongside our sweet, zingy corn relish.

09 of 11

Oven-Fried Chicken

Oven-Fried Chicken
Blaine Moats

Use crushed cornflakes or buttery cracker crumbs to make this classic oven-fried chicken recipe (either way is delish!). Looking for more variations for a quick and healthy chicken dinner? The oven-fried recipe includes how to make a Parmesan flavor as well as how to bake them up as boneless chicken tenders.

10 of 11

Oven-Fried Veggies

Oven-Fried Veggies
Kritsada Panichgul

No potatoes needed for these crunchy oven fries. A well-seasoned mixture of Parmesan and panko bread crumbs are the key to the crispy exterior of these mixed veggies. They're delicious served as a side dish or alongside dressing for dipping as an easy appetizer.

Buy It: Kikkoman Panko Bread Crumbs ($2, Target)

11 of 11

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato Fries
Karla Conrad

For a delicious no-fryer french fry that's also high in vitamin A and fiber, look to this healthy sweet potato recipe. The secret to getting these oven-fried potatoes crisp? Bake them on foil and remember to turn them halfway through the cooking time.

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