Fried chicken is one of life's great guilty pleasures. Few things are as satisfying as the combination of tender, moist meat and crunchy golden coating. In these health-conscious times, the guilt is rarely worth the gorgeous taste. Fortunately, there are ways around the fat. Using panko breadcrumbs to coat oven-fried chicken ensures a light and crunchy result, because panko crumbs are crisp even before they are cooked. Buttermilk-soaked chicken is moist and juicy, ensuring you great fried chicken without the guilt.
Step 1
Rinse your chicken pieces in cool water and pat them dry with paper towels.
Step 2
Season all sides of the chicken pieces with a generous amount of coarse salt and cracked black pepper.
Step 3
Place the chicken pieces into a plastic zipper bag that is large enough to hold them and can still close tightly with room to spare. Use two bags if necessary.
Step 4
Pour nonfat buttermilk into the bag until the chicken pieces are completely covered. Seal the zipper bag and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
Step 5
Preheat your oven to 400 F.
Step 6
Spray a baking dish and a rack that fits snugly into it with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 7
Fill a shallow dish with a thin layer of panko bread crumbs.
Step 8
Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk marinade and allow the excess to drip off. Roll the chicken in the panko bread crumbs until it is completely coated and place it on the greased rack.
Step 9
Add more panko bread crumbs to the dish and repeat with another piece of chicken. Add new bread crumbs between each piece of chicken so that the bread crumbs do not get soggy.
Step 10
Bake the coated chicken pieces for 45 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece reads at least 165 F.
Tips and Warnings
- Add poultry seasoning to your panko bread crumbs for a bit of extra flavor.
- Do not let the thermometer's probe touch bone or you will not get an accurate reading.
Things You'll Need
- Paper towels
- Coarse salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Plastic zipper bag
- Pie plate
- Baking dish with rack
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Shallow dish
- Instant-read thermometer
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