Not Fried Chicken Recipe
- 1 3½- to 4-pound chicken
- 1 tablespoon Cajun spice
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups low-fat buttermilk
- 1 cup bread crumbs, preferably homemade
- ½ cup flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- Spray oil
- Cut the chicken into eight even pieces or have your butcher do it. (When I cut off the wings, I include a 2-inch piece of the breast meat. This gives you a meatier wing.) Remove all the skin from the chicken and cut away any pieces of fat.
- Combine the Cajun spice, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and salt in a shallow bowl and stir to mix. Rub one third of this spice mix on the chicken pieces and let stand for 10 minutes in a metal mixing bowl. Stir in the buttermilk and place the bowl in the freezer. Marinate the chicken in the buttermilk for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.
- Combine the ingredients for the breading and the remaining spice mix in a mixing bowl and stir or whisk to mix. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with spray oil. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Drain the chicken pieces in a colander. Dredge each piece of chicken in the crumb mixture, shaking off the excess. Arrange the chicken pieces on the baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray the tops of the chicken pieces with oil.
- Bake the chicken until golden brown and cooked, 30 to 40 minutes, turning several times to ensure even browning. Serve at once. Mashed potatoes will make a great accompaniment.
