Crispy Baked "Fried" Chicken

If you are a fan of crispy chicken (flashes of Kentucky Fried Chicken just swooped past) like me but absolutely hate messing up the kitchen with splatters of oil, etc, then you should really try this recipe. This was what happened to me when I came across this recipe one evening endlessly browsing through the internet for new ideas. I decided this would be our Easter dinner and to keep everything simple since it was just the two of us, I paired off the chicken with a simple mash potato and ceasar salad . The best part about oven fried chicken other than minimal cleaning up is that I could go about doing other chores or sit back and relax in front of the telly. Well to be honest we did have a small accident in the kitchen! I asked my husband to crush the bag of cornflakes by hand as mine was coated with flour and buttermilk. I guessed he crushed it a bit too hard and the opening split, spilling 1/3 of the cornflakes onto the kitchen floor. So in a way we did have a "mess" to clean up after all.





Crispy Baked "Fried" Chicken
Recipe from Food Network Magazine (February/March 2009)
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

8 chicken pieces (preferably 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs and 2 wings)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 cups cornflakes
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
3/4 teaspoon ground sage

Method:

1) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a rack in a roasting pan or on a baking sheet.

2) Rinse the chicken in cold water; pat dry. In a wide bowl or on a plate, season the flour with salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Dredge each chicken piece through the flour so it's fully coated, tap against the bowl to shake off excess flour and set aside. Discard the flour.

3) Crush the cornflakes by placing them in a big resealable plastic bag, carefully pressing the bag to push out the air. Seal up the bag (with as little air inside as possible) and run over the flakes with a rolling pin. Open the bag and pour the crushed flakes into a wide bowl or onto a plate.

4) In a large bowl (big enough to dredge the chicken pieces), mix the buttermilk, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika and sage. Give each floured chicken piece a good buttermilk bath and then roll in the cornflake crumbs.

5) Arrange the chicken pieces on the rack and place in the hot oven. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, lower the heat to 375 degrees and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, until cooked through and crispy. The juices should run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife.