CEiMB: Oven Fried Chicken

One of my main weaknesses in life is fried chicken. Even the worst fried chicken in the world (KFC) becomes a sort of heavenly ambrosia for me after a couple of cocktails, after a long day of work, or on the weekend when we're watching football. The only time I can't stand fried chicken is when I'm out on a long run - I would much much much prefer to smell sewage on a run than fried chicken or Indian food.

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly was chosen by Jon and me - Oven Fried Chicken. I'll post the recipe below, but needless to say we loved this. The corn flakes were such a weird addition, but they worked to make a crispy coating that is such a happy alternative to the crunchy gristle you get from fried chicken joints. The coating also ensured that the inside of the chicken was ridiculously moist (my least favorite word in the dictionary) to the point where you thought it might not be fully cooked (but oh yes it was...). Instead of cayenne pepper, we put Old Bay into ours, as Jon's sister was a STAR and sent him home with a massive container of it. We put it on everything, and it absolutely livened up the chicken. That, and our friend Ashley had never eaten anything with mace listed as an ingredient. She was thrilled. She and Kofi scanned the rest of the recipes to find other good ones.

Our only complaint from this recipe is best left in the words of Jon:

"This shit ain't no hang-over fried chicken. After a long night of drinking, you may have many regrets the next morning, but buying a family size container of KFC definitely won't be one of them. I don't get the same cholesterol synthesized "hug" from this chicken ... but I guess that is the point of CEiMB."


Well said, J Train. Well said.

Oven Fried Chicken, from Ellie Krieger's Foods You Crave.

• 1/2 sleeve (about 20) whole-grain salted crackers, pulsed in a food processor until fine (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 1/2 cups corn cereal flakes, pulsed in a food processor to fine crumbs (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (we used Old Bay Seasoning)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup lowfat, plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Olive oil cooking spray
• 4 medium sized skinless chicken breasts and 4 skinless chicken thighs, rinsed and patted dry (about 3 1/2 pounds chicken)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil.

Combine the crackers and corn cereal crumbs, sesame seeds, cayenne, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. Reserve.

In a large bowl, combine egg whites, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat thoroughly with the yogurt mixture.

One at a time, dip the chicken pieces in the cracker mixture, packing crumbs onto chicken. Arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil cooking spray.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a knife.

And oh yeah - dessert. Thanks need to go out to Jon's mom, who makes the absolute best pumpkin pie one has ever tasted...

What, you thought we'd be healthy all night long?