Unfried Chicken

I am always looking for ways to make classics healthier, and Self sent me what looks like it could be a great recipe for a nice crispy, breaded chicken.

Unfried Chicken With Cabbage and Apple Slaw

Serves 4  

Olive oil cooking spray

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley 

1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

1 teaspoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon Old Bay Seasoning

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper  

1/2 cup light buttermilk 

2 whole bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (about 12 oz each), halved 

2 teaspoons honey 

2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 

2 Red Delicious or Gala apples, cored and thinly sliced crosswise 

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 

6 cups shredded napa cabbage 

1 celery stalk, chopped

Heat oven to 400°. Place a roasting rack on a baking sheet and coat with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, parsley, sage, thyme, Old Bay, salt, pepper and cayenne in a shallow bowl. Pour buttermilk into another shallow bowl. Dip chicken in buttermilk, turning to coat. Drain excess and dredge chicken in breadcrumb mixture, pressing gently to help coating adhere. Transfer chicken to rack. Coat chicken with cooking spray and bake until crispy, 30 to 35 minutes. Dressing: Whisk honey with whole-grain mustard, oil and vinegars in a bowl. Toss apples with lemon juice in another bowl; add cabbage, celery and dressing; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Chill slaw 20 minutes before serving with chicken.

306 calories per serving, 9.7 g fat (1.6 g saturated), 23.1 g carbs, 3.7 g fiber, 31 g protein

Fall Picnic Fare

You'll never believe it.  Rachel Ray made something today that I hadn't thought of and am actually going to try.  I have a family picnic coming up and this looks just perfect for me to bring.  I'll be making a few tweaks of course (my anticipated alterations are below), but I think she may have a winner on her hands.


Tangy Goat Cheese and Dill Potato Salad
2 1/2 pounds diced Yukon gold potatoes
Salt
1/4 cup white wine or 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup goat cheese crumbles
4-6 slices cooked bacon, chopped
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, finely grated or minced
4 scallions, finely chopped, whites and greens
Freshly ground black pepper
I haven't decided on these additions yet, but. . . 
1/4 cup finely chopped dill
2 dill pickles, chopped

Cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Salt the water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
When the potatoes are cooked, return them to the hot pot and douse with a splash of wine or a couple tablespoons of white wine vinegar.
In a bowl, whisk together the goat cheese, yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic. Toss the potatoes, dill(?), and scallions in the dressing and season with salt and pepper. Garnish the salad with chopped pickles(?) and bacon pieces and serve.

Seasoned Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
They may not be on par with Thomas Keller's, but who cares?  Maybe I can do some sort of combo treatment. . .
2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
2 pounds chicken tenders
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seeds, if desired
1 quart safflower, canola or sunflower oil for frying
1 lemon

Combine the smoked paprika, granulated garlic and onion, and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Season the tenders with salt and pepper. Add 1/2 the spices to the buttermilk in a shallow dish. Combine the remaining spices with the flour and poppy seeds, in a second dish.

Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium to medium-high heat, about 350 degrees F.

Using tongs dip chicken in the buttermilk, then the flour and repeat. Add the breaded tenders to the hot oil; do not crowd the pan. Cook the fingers in batches to a deep golden color, about 8 minutes per batch. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Serve warm or at room temperature with wedges of lemon to squeeze on top.

I think I'll serve with ranch dressing and some sort of honey bbq sauce.  Nom.