Objective To optimize the frying formulation and process of rice bran-enriched chicken cutlets. Methods Taking sensory evaluation as the assessment criteria, single-factor experiments were conducted to examine the effects of rice bran addition amount, wheat flour and corn starch ratio, frying temperature and frying time on the quality of fried chicken cutlets. Orthogonal experiments were employed to optimize the addition amounts and process parameters. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 20, with P<0.05 indicating statistically significant differences. Origin was used for graphical visualization. Results The order of influence of various factors on the sensory quality of fried chicken chops was: Frying temperature>frying time>wheat flour and corn starch ratio>rice bran addition. The frying conditions were determined by comprehensive consideration: Rice bran addition 0.8% (m:m), wheat flour and corn starch ratio 1:1 (m:m), frying temperature 180 ℃, frying time 2 min. The sensory score of fried chicken chops under this condition was 90.1 points. The fried chicken chops had uniform golden color, rich aroma, moderate hardness, good brittleness and sensory quality. Conclusion It is feasible to add rice bran to the traditional coating formula, which can provide a theoretical basis for mass production industrialization.