We ordered a ten piece box of KFC for a picnic lunch last week and I held myself to two pieces and still gained a pound and a half the next day. Sometimes you’ve just got to say, “To hell with the diet, I’m eating fried chicken.” The chicken was good. It was worth it.
But I found a recipe for oven fried chicken that – though it does not rival real fried chicken in flavor – it’s pretty good and there is no weight gain.
It’s Crusted Oven Fried Chicken and the unique crust adds hugely to the flavor. It would work great on chicken thighs, but breasts are far friendlier on a morning visit to the bathroom scales – so let’s go with breasts.
Buy four boneless, skinless breasts and cut them in half (top to bottom) for more manageable pieces.
To make the crust, smash 2 cups of Cheez-it Crackers, 1 cup French-fried onions (also smashed), ½ C breadcrumbs and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all that for the crust and set aside.
The secret to this recipe is mayonnaise – one of the great bastes for both turkey and chicken. Put several tablespoons of mayo in a small bowl and brush a thin layer on one side of the chicken breast, then place mayo side down in the crust mixture. Spread the top side with mayo, flip and press into the crust until well coated and add to a greased casserole dish. Repeat with each piece of chicken. Then sprinkle a little more crust mix on top for good measure and spray a bit of cooking oil on top to help the crust brown up. Cook in a 425 oven for 35 minutes. That should do it, but check and make sure that the juices run clear. Do not overcook and the chicken will be moist, tender and the crust is delicious. Try it. It’s No-Guilt Oven Fried Chicken.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 C Cheez-it Crackers
1 C French-fried onions
½ C bread-crumbs
S & P
4 T mayonnaise
Pam cooking spray