This chicken is a delicious and healthy alternative to regular high fat fried chicken. I use low fat, boneless, skinless chicken breast, an egg white /whole wheat flour & crispy rice cereal breading mixture and some interesting cooking techniques to achieve the flavor and crunch of real fried chicken. I also sleuthed out the Colonel’s spice mix and the results are finger lickin’ good
CHICKEN INGREDIENTS:
3 T Kosher Salt
3T Brown Sugar
3C Hot tap water
4C Ice cubes
2# Boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into thick chicken fingers
1 ½ C all-purpose flour
3C Whole wheat crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
1T Kosher salt
2 T ea Black Pepper and ground white pepper
1 T dried thyme
½ T dried basil
½ T dried oregano
1 T celery salt
2 T garlic salt
1 T ground ginger
4T Smoked Paprika
1t Cayenne Pepper
1C Egg whites
1C Nonfat Buttermilk
3T Vegetable Oil
METHOD:
Dissolve kosher salt, brown sugar and hot water in large bowl. Add ice cubes to cool mixture to 40 degrees or lower. Add chicken and refrigerate for 1 -1 ½ hours.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine salt, black and white peppers, oregano, basil, thyme, celery salt, garlic salt, ginger, paprika, and cayenne in bowl and stir well to combine. Set aside.
Beat egg whites, using an electric mixer, until soft peaks form. Stir in buttermilk and set aside.
Combine whole wheat flour with ¼ of spice mixture. Set aside
Combine remaining spice mix with rice cereal and crush lightly to combine.
Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper toweling. Dip chicken in flour mixture. Shake off excess and dip into egg white buttermilk mixture. Finally, dip back into the seasoned rice cereal mixture and coat well. Set coated chicken on a baking sheet, lined with parchment and sprayed liberally with pan spray. Spray top of chicken lightly with pan spray.
Place coated chicken pieces in preheated 375 degree oven. Roast for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and carefully turn pieces over. You may need to add a little more pan spray to pan if chicken sticks. Return to the oven and roast 10 minutes longer or until internal temperature reaches 160 – 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes.
Serve with honey mustard dip.
Serves 6
