The best part about fried chicken is the crunch. The worst part about fried chicken is the grease and the fat. Here’s a recipe to lighten things up a bit without sacrificing any of the flavor. The chicken is cooked in oil for just a few minutes, and then baked off in the oven. The result? Mouth watering “fried” chicken.
For the chicken you’ll need:
2 chickens, cut up (8 pieces of chicken total)
1-quart buttermilk
To make this recipe:
If chicken is not already cut into parts, do so now. You should have eight pieces per chicken. Put chicken pieces in one bowl. Pour 1 qt. buttermilk over it, coating all the chicken parts. Marinate overnight for best flavor, but for at least a few hours.
For the coating:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon Kosher salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper
Mix these ingredients together in a large bowl. Next, dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, making sure to coat completely, and place on a baking sheet.
In a large pot, heat oil to about 360 degrees. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until chicken has browned. Remove from oil and drain slightly on a rack or on parchment paper then place on a sheet pan to finish baking in the oven.
Bake at 350 degrees (preheated oven) for 30-40 minutes until cooked through. The chicken will be crispy on the outside but moist and tender on the inside.
Tip: Many grocery stores sell whole chickens cut up in packages. This is a huge time saver. You can also ask your butcher to cut up the chicken for you. If you prefer, you can substitute your favorite cuts of chicken.