Un-Fried Chicken

Chef

Rosie Daley

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Cookbook

In the Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes

Published by Knopf

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This image courtesy of Joseph DeLeo

Editor's Note: If you're watching what you eat but still crave some fried chicken, then this recipe for Un-Fried Chicken will hit the spot! This easy chicken recipe uses yogurt in place of buttermilk, which is a substitution that is definitely worth a try. This recipe makes 12 pieces and is perfect for a quiet dinner at home. If you're looking for side dishes to serve with this chicken recipe, then take a look at the author's recipe for Mock Caesar Salad as a way to round out the meal.

The secret to the success of this recipe is to make sure that both the chicken and the yogurt are very cold (hence, soaking the chicken in the ice water). The preliminary soaking will help the breading adhere and produce a crisp coating much like that of fried chicken. If you’re serving the chicken on a platter rather than on individual dinner plates, it looks smashing on a bed of flowering kale.

Serves12 pieces

Cooking MethodBaking

CostInexpensive

Easy

Kid FriendlyYes

One Pot MealYes

OccasionBuffet, Buffet Meal, Casual Dinner Party, Family Get Together, Game Day

Recipe CourseMain Course

Dietary ConsiderationHealthy

MealDinner, Lunch

Taste and TextureCrisp, Crunchy, Juicy

Ingredients

Light vegetable oil cooking spray
6 chicken drumsticks, skin removed
3 whole chicken breasts, halved and skin removed
3½ cups ice water
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 cup dried Italian bread crumbs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Coat a baking sheet with 3 sprays of the vegetable oil.
Put the chicken in a large bowl with the ice water. Put the yogurt into a medium bowl. Set both bowls aside.
Toss all the breading ingredients into a large, tightly-sealing plastic bag. Seal and shake well to mix.
Remove 2 pieces of chicken from the ice water. Roll each piece in the yogurt. Put the chicken into the plastic bag, reseal, and shake to coat thoroughly. Transfer the breaded chicken to the prepared baking sheet. Repeat the process until all 12 pieces are breaded. Spray the chicken lightly with the vegetable oil.
Place the baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for 1 hour, turning the pieces every 20 minutes to allow even browning.
Serve hot or at room temperature.