Thanks to a childhood spent in the deep South, I L-O-V-E fried chicken. But I can definitely do without the calories and artery-clogging grease. So for the past few years, I have been on a quest for a great baked chicken recipe that closely mimics the flavor and texture you get with excellent fried chicken. For the most part, I've been pretty disappointed by what I've seen. Most of the recipes either result in chicken that's too dry or lacking in flavor (or both). And none of them have been so good that they could fool someone into thinking he/she is eating fried chicken. Until today, that is.
On a whim, I decided to try yet another recipe I found online. I didn't have much hope for the outcome. But I'm nothing if not persistant. After a little bit of tinkering, I ended up with something that was very close to fried chicken in terms of flavor and texture. And the chicken was incredibly moist!
As much as I'd like to hoard this little gem for myself...my desire to share has overruled my more selfish inclinations. Apologies to those of you not residing in the U.S....you will probably need to visit a conversion site for the most accurate ingredient measurements. Oh, and the inspiration for this recipe (which I modified to improve the flavor) comes to us from the Martha Stewart Everyday Food website on PBS.org.
J's Buttermilk Baked Chicken
Serves 4-6, prep and cook time: 45 mins
Vegetable oil, for baking sheet
2-3 cups Panko breadcrumbs (I use this brand...the Italian one is great)
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot-pepper sauce (optional, if you have kids, don't bother)
Salt and pepper
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese (2 ½ ounces)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
4 pounds chicken parts (preferably legs, thighs, and wings), rinsed and patted dry. Best to buy it with skin on to increase moisture when baking.
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Generously rub or spray a baking sheet with oil.
2. In a large baking dish, stir together buttermilk and, if adding, hot-pepper sauce. Place chicken pieces in dish, turning once to coat with buttermilk. Cover dish with foil or plastic wrap and place in fridge for two to three hours. In some cases, you may need to divide the chicken between two dishes depending on quantity.
3. In another bowl, mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, thyme, salt, and pepper (to taste).
4. Lift individual chicken pieces, let excess buttermilk drip off, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Place coated chicken pieces on prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake until chicken is golden brown, about 35 minutes.
Note: Leave enough space between the chicken pieces so that they crisp evenly all the way around. You can use breadcrumbs other than panko but I personally have found panko gives just the right amount of crunch to the texture. Also, many breadcrumb mixes already have salt and other herbs included. Be sure to taste before you add salt or thyme to mix.
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