satch
Footballguy
Since many of us here are focusing on fitness heading toward Spring/Summer, I thought I'd share this healthier fried chicken alternative I've been enjoying recently. It's crispy, juicy, full of flavor, loaded with protein, and pretty tough to screw up. Keep in mind, when I say "healthy", I mean relatively speaking. A plain grilled chicken breast would be healthier, but not be nearly as tasty or satisfying. It also wouldn't be anything like fried chicken, which this is.
Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (amount based on desired healthiness)
Panko Bread Crumbs (amount based on desired healthiness)
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic Powder
(For spicier version add Cajun Seasoning)
Method:
Preheat oven to 425.
In a bowl, mix chicken thighs, olive oil, panko, and seasonings. I didn't specify amounts of seasonings because that's a personal preference. Just use enough to provide generous flavor without going overboard. With the olive oil and panko, I suggest using just enough of each to coat the chicken evenly without going overboard with either. Remember, this is supposed to be "healthy". Too much oil can add lots of unnecessary calories real fast. Also, we're not "breading" the chicken or going for a thick layer of crust, just looking to get a little crunch with each bite. This only requires a few flakes of panko per bite. Make sure you work the seasonings/panko into the crevices/folds of the chicken.
Once the chicken is evenly coated with seasonings/panko, spray a cooking rack with Pam olive oil, and lay the rack on a cookie sheet. Lay the chicken on the cooking rack, smooth side of the chicken face down. Sprinkle additional panko on the chicken as needed to hit any bare spots, and press onto chicken. Gently turn chicken over and repeat.
Cooking time varies depending on thickness of chicken and desired crispiness, but I've found that a total of about 25-30 minutes works well. Put chicken in the oven, middle rack. After about 15 minutes, turn chicken over and continue cooking until it looks crispy and delicious, like fried chicken. Enjoy.
Ingredients:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
Extra Virgin Olive Oil (amount based on desired healthiness)
Panko Bread Crumbs (amount based on desired healthiness)
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Garlic Powder
(For spicier version add Cajun Seasoning)
Method:
Preheat oven to 425.
In a bowl, mix chicken thighs, olive oil, panko, and seasonings. I didn't specify amounts of seasonings because that's a personal preference. Just use enough to provide generous flavor without going overboard. With the olive oil and panko, I suggest using just enough of each to coat the chicken evenly without going overboard with either. Remember, this is supposed to be "healthy". Too much oil can add lots of unnecessary calories real fast. Also, we're not "breading" the chicken or going for a thick layer of crust, just looking to get a little crunch with each bite. This only requires a few flakes of panko per bite. Make sure you work the seasonings/panko into the crevices/folds of the chicken.
Once the chicken is evenly coated with seasonings/panko, spray a cooking rack with Pam olive oil, and lay the rack on a cookie sheet. Lay the chicken on the cooking rack, smooth side of the chicken face down. Sprinkle additional panko on the chicken as needed to hit any bare spots, and press onto chicken. Gently turn chicken over and repeat.
Cooking time varies depending on thickness of chicken and desired crispiness, but I've found that a total of about 25-30 minutes works well. Put chicken in the oven, middle rack. After about 15 minutes, turn chicken over and continue cooking until it looks crispy and delicious, like fried chicken. Enjoy.
