Fried chicken….mmmm….mmmm!

Everyone loves a good home cooked fried chicken dinner. Something about the moist chicken and the savory crunch makes this meal better than the rest. Unfortunately, fried chicken doesn’t love us as much as we love it! One piece of fried chicken can have around 400 calories and 17 grams of fat! I don’t know about you but I don’t eat just one piece.  But the good news is there is so many ways you can get that same delicious crunch without so many calories and for sure without even frying it all together.

Some of my favorites are:

Rice Crispy Chicken

• 4 cups rice crispy cereal (sometimes you can find brown rice crispies at natural food stores like whole foods)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 3 pounds chicken pieces, boneless skinless, washed and patted dry
• 3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted

Directions: Place plain rice crispies cereal in shallow dish or pan. Stir in garlic powder. Set aside. In medium mixing bowl, beat egg and milk slightly. Add flour, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Mix until smooth. Dip chicken in egg batter then coat with cereal mixture until covered. Place in single layer, in shallow baking pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle with melted margarine.  Bake at 350° F about 1 hour or until chicken is tender, no longer pink and juices run clear. Do not cover pan or turn chicken while baking. Serve hot. Enjoy

Whole-wheat Panko Crusted Chicken:
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or breast tenders
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat or regular panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tsp. dried Italian herbs
• 2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour

Directions: Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with foil and lightly spraying with cooking spray. Set aside.  In a small bowl or shallow dish, season the flour with salt and black pepper, and lightly beat the eggs in another shallow dish. In a third shallow dish, combine panko breadcrumbs with herbs, garlic, paprika, cayenne, sesame seeds, salt, and pepper.  Dredge tenders in the flour to coat, shaking off any excess flour. Dip the floured chicken tenders into the egg and then coat the chicken tenders with the breadcrumb mixture. Arrange on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining strips.  Bake chicken tenders for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown, flipping once part way through the cook time.

Grilled Chicken with Panko Herb Dust

• 4 chicken cutlets
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 green onion thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1-cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1-tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of salt and pepper

Directions: Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat 4 minutes on each side. While grilling chicken take the remaining ingredients and toss together in a bowl spread on a lined cookie sheet and broil unit crumbs start to brown. Place a piece of chicken on your plate and top with a quarter of the toasted panko mix. Serve with a tossed green salad!

Corn Flake Chicken

Rinse and pat dry:
• 3 1/2 pounds chicken parts

Season with:
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Whisk together in a shallow bowl:
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk or butter milk

Combine in a wide, shallow bowl:
• 2 1/2 cups crushed corn flakes
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Optional 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

Directions: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg mixture, then coat with the corn flake mixture, patting with your fingers to make the crumbs stick. The chicken can be prepared to this point up to 3 hours in advance and kept, uncovered, in the refrigerator. Arrange the chicken skin side up on the baking sheet. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the chicken to make it crispy. Bake until the chicken is crisp and golden, 45 to 60 minutes. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Make these healthy versions of your favorite fried chicken with some steamed spinach, roasted veggies, and a sprinkle of Sensa you’ll have a southern meal with at least half the calories, and zero guilt. These fried chicken substitutes are delicious and simple so why go back to fried chicken ever? So, turn on your ovens and let’s get oven frying…..

XO,

Chef Kelsey

Tweet Pin It

Posted in Nutrition and Recipes at July 6th, 2012 by Kelsey

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.