Fried Chicken with little Fat

Sorry I've been away awhile -- working on a book.

The following recipe is a slight variation of one from Cook's Illustrated which is in my opinion the best Cooking Magazine available. I have found there are always things to learn about cooking and this magazine approaches everything systematically if not down right scientifically. I learned something from this recipe:

Healthy (judge for yourself) Fried Chicken

Vary amounts by how much chicken you plan to cook

Boned and skinned chicken breasts

For marinade:
Buttermilk (I use lowfat and about a cup)
1 tsp salt (scant)
1 tsp sugar (scant)
1 tsp pepper
Garlic powder and other herbs/spices as you wish

Canola oil or other healthier oil to fry in (1/2 a cup or so)

For topping:
Bread Crumbs (dried or fresh)
Flour
Corn meal (optional, just gives it abit of added crunch)
additional herbs/spices

I have tried this recipe a number of ways. If you have read this blog you know I tend to create as I go, so the absolute KEY to this recipe is the buttermilk marinade. Everything else can be varied according to your tastes and what you want the final outcome to be. I even used this marinade with baked, low-fat sourcream recipe.

Marinade: Cook's will tell you the why's and wherefore's but marinading chicken breasts (which if you've cooked at all, you know can come out dry and tough) in buttermilk, salt, and sugar makes them tender and juicy -- every time! The first time I tried this recipe I thought, "Wow, these are really good chicken breasts." Subsequently I know there was nothing special about the breasts, its how you treat them.

Mix the buttermilk, salt, and sugar (note I have varied proportions of these and like to go with a bit less salt and sugar, even as low as 1/2 tsp each) in a marinading bowl. All other spices and herbs are to taste. You can add them to marinade (we will use some of it again), or add later to bread crumb mixture. Note: one time I made this recipe I didn't have any buttermilk on hand -- I substituted some store-bought ranch dressing that the friends I was visiting had on hand which had buttermilk in it -- worked just as well.

If you are going LOW-FAT, make sure you meticulously trim ALL fat from the breasts.Then place breasts in bowl with buttermilk marinade, toss and place in refrigerator for a hour or up to 24 hours. (At least two hours is probably best). [Note: what seems to happen is that the salt, sugar, and buttermilk are infused somewhat --even alot -- into the breasts helping them tenderize and retain moisture. Later if you were able to manage to drain most of the liquid from the bowl and breasts, you'll find you don't have much left. This marinade should be enough for about six large half breasts.

Bread crumbs: This is a 'to taste' thing. Mix a half cup of flour (or more depending on number of breasts you will be doing)with bread crumbs and any herbs or spices you may want to add. [The first time I made this recipe I used fresh bread as I had nothing else to hand.] Mix well and then add a bit (few tablespoons) of reserved marinade from chicken. (If you dont have much left, use some more buttermilk). The idea is to get your hands in the bowl and mush the mixture about with just enough marinade to make some 'crumblings,' or small (half-pea sized or smaller) crumbles of flour and bread, etc. Don't add too much milk, you still want the overall mixture dry and breadcrumb-like. If you add too much, add some more flour.

Place oil (enough to cover bottom of frying pan about an eighth of an inch thick (That's all you need!)in pan and heat to medium/mediumhigh. PRESS each chicken breast (top and bottom) into breadcrumb mixture to coat place in pan and fry to a golden brown on each side (a couple of minutes each side depending on your heat).

Lay the breasts on a cooling/draining rack placed on top of a cookie sheet and put in a 325 degree oven to finish. Cook only until just done. (Cook's gives you instant read thermometer settings -- I just push on the breast -- it should be firm and springy. If you need, you can cut into one.)

Enjoy! These should come out near the top of your scale on how good chicken can taste and how moist and tender it can be. I might even try this marinade for Thanksgiving Turkey -- though I might need quite a bit more buttermilk!

Enjoy!

Joe Koob