Fake Fried Chicken

I'm clearly not scared of fried food.  I just posted about Zucchini and Corn Fritters, and don't forget the Meat Pies. But, I do like a healthier option... and frankly, a less messy one too. 

This is a beautiful way to fake fried chicken with some amazing flavors infused in the marinade....and it couldn't be easier! The outside is crunchy, the buttermilk makes the chicken extremely juicy, and the hot sauce give a little kick. Roasted potatoes, and a small salad with blue cheese dressing complement it perfectly. 

I know roasted potatoes aren't difficult to make, but removing as much starch as possible by soaking them in water first ensures they get nice and crispy on the outside. 

Fake Fried Chicken

2/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/4 cup hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 skinless chicken drumsticks

1 1/2 cups cornflakes (crushed, but you want some texture)

1/3 cup unflavored dried breadcrumbs 

Combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt in a gallon-size baggie.  Add chicken, seal, toss to coat, place in a bowl (in case of leaks) in the fridge and chill overnight. 

Heat oven to 425 degrees. In another gallon-size bag, combine cornflakes and breadcrumbs.  Add chicken legs one at a time and toss well to coat. (Kids can have some fun with this step.) Squeeze chicken from the outside of the bag to press more of the coating onto the chicken. Arrange the chicken in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Coat chicken lightly with olive oil spray. Bake 35 minutes, or until golden and crispy, turning after 20 minutes. 

Roasted Potatoes

2-3 lbs potatoes (leave skin on)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt and pepper

Wash and slice potatoes into 1" chunks. Soak in cold water for 15 minutes. Drain and pat dry.  Place in a single layer on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.  Bake at 425 for 45 minutes. turning them after 20 minutes or so. 

Notes: 

• Prepare the potatoes first and get them in the oven 10 minutes before the chicken. 
• Drumsticks rarely come skinless.  The easiest way to remove skin is to use a piece of paper towel to grip the skin and rip it off.  Random tutorial here.