I've been having a hankering for fried chicken for quite a while, but figured that I needed to find an alternative to the traditional fried chicken the South is so famous for. Now that's not to say that I am opposed to fried chicken; in fact, I firmly believe that a diet that doesn't allow the occasional fried chicken is not a liveable diet. On the other hand, if I had fried food every time I had a hankering for it I would (a) have to start wearing mumus and (2) would have to start another blog. Add to the fried chicken hankering the ever-present question of what to do with skinless, boneless chicken breast, a question that entire cookbooks are devoted to answering, and you'll get to this recipe for "fried" chicken.
This recipe, besides being a healthier alternative to the traditional favorite is the kind of recipe that I really like making. All of the prep work is done ahead of time and then everything is put into the oven to roast. While the food roasts I can clean up the kitchen (bonus) and enjoy a glass of wine. I served the "fried" chicken with roasted asparagus spears and matchstick sweet potatoes. The Hubs pronounced the chicken "wicked good" and said that it was the best chicken he's ever had. Yes, I know that he has a vested interest in telling me that I make good food, but it's always nice to hear.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups lowfat buttermilk (approximately)
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 egg white (from a large egg)
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp red curry powder
1 tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
In the morning liberally sprinkle the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika. Put the chicken breasts into a glass container and pour the buttermilk over them, rolling the chicken breasts until the are coated and nearly covered with the buttermilk. Cover the container with plastic wrap and refridgerate. That evening, take the chicken breasts out of the fridge when you start dinner to allow them to warm up slightly. Preheat the oven to 425. Put a cooling rack inside a cookie sheet.
Set out three shallow bowls (I use pie pans) to bread the chicken. In the first bowl add the all purpose flour, salt and pepper the flour and add 1 tbsp of both paprika and curry powder. In the second bowl put the egg white and the dijon mustard, mixing both together. The third bowl gets the bread crumbs with salt, pepper and the remaining paprika and curry powder. Move the chicken breast from the buttermilk to the flour, making sure to cover the chicken completely with the flour. Then into the egg mixture, also coating the chicken well, and finally into the bread crumbs. Cover the chicken breasts completely with the bread crumbs.
When the chicken is throughly breaded, move the chicken onto the cooling rack inside the cookie sheet. Bake the chicken and asparagus in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes, checking the chicken after 20 minutes. When the chicken is 165 degrees remove the chicken and set it aside to cool slightly. Bon Appetit!
Makes 2
5 Additional Thoughts:
Okay. Am succumbing, but we gotta talk about that whole waistline/ weight loss stuff... ;o)
Yay! My super-secret plot to take over the world is working! Now, what can I do about the waistlne/weight loss bit? :)
Yup. You totally won me over with fried chicken (although, some suspicious quotes appeared after the header...).
What are a few suspicious quotes among friends?
Curry powder? Hmmm...I never would thought of adding that. I'll have to try this recipe.
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