How to get breading to stick to chicken?

This has been answered in a related question : https://cooking.stackexchange.com/a/13878/67

So, to sumarize & relate to your current situation : don't mix your coating together, as you want seperate alternating layers of wet & dry.

Your typical breading for chicken is:

• flour, cornstarch, or some other dry powder, possibly mixed with salt, herbs and spices
• egg, possibly mixed with milk or water
• breadcrumbs, possibly mixed with salt, herbs and spices (but beware that some may burn).

You want to shake or let drip between each addition for nice, think coatings. If you don't, as dry won't stick to dry, and wet won't stick to wet, you'll end up having a giant slip-plain and things will slide off.

If you're pan frying (instead of deep frying), you might be able to get away with your mix while cooking, but it'll likely come off when someone goes to cut into it.

You have to get the chicken "tacky". It's great to soak it in buttermilk for a while, let the buttermilk drip off and then bread the chicken. You can also use egg. Some people use flour, then egg, then breading. It all works, but somehow the chicken needs to be sticky for breading like you describe to stick.

On fish I seen people coat it in yellow Mustard, I kid you not, then breadcrumb, flour it. The mustard can’t be tasted after cooking. Given how light a taste fish is, wonder if it would work on chicken?

I know what you're making is better than shake 'n bake, but the method for that is super simple. Mix your breading, wet your chicken (water, milk, buttermilk, whatever), put pieces of chicken in a plastic bag with with breading and shake it around until coated. Works like a charm.

For thicker breading, and if you don't mind gummy hands, try a 3 stage approach. Set out 3 plates with flour, beaten egg(s), breading. 1) Dredge chicken in flour (flavoured is nice), 2) dip dredged chicken in egg wash, 3) coat egg'd chicken in breading. Done.

Try to do this all with 1 hand so your other hand can touch stuff. It gets thick and messy fast:)

I've tried egg before, but these days I've switched to non-fat yoghurt. So I:

• First lightly fry the panko breadcrumbs in a little oil and cool (makes for a crispier chicken)
• Dredge the chicken in flour
• Dip the chicken in yoghurt
• Bread the chicken and it sticks wonderfully

Mixing a little corn starch in with the flour helps the breading to stick

I've been using this recipe using flaxseed meal stirred into water and allowed to sit for a few minutes. It becomes just a bit gooey and does an excellent job of holding the breading in place: https://allergen-free-cuisine.blogspot.com/2014/10/allergen-free-fried-chicken.html