OMG Oven Fried Chicken

So there are a million baked “fried” chicken recipes out there.  Some think the key is buttermilk, yogurt, etc.  The reality is that chicken breast has no flavor and the flavor comes from what is on it.  So the key is to make it stick to the chicken.  Most of what I’ve seen does not have the important first step of preparing the chicken for the wet stuff!  Corn starch is the best for this as it does not make it thick and pasty…in fact it makes the wet stuff stick amazingly which is what we want since that is where the flavor is.  Now, I know this is supposed to be healthy and you may be wondering about the mayonnaise.  I use the Olive Oil based mayonnaise for one and only a small amount for the whole recipe for two.  You need some fat so don’t worry…it’s all good!

• 1 Pound Chicken Breast, pounded to about ½ inch thick
• ¼ Cup Corn Starch
• 4 Egg Whites (or 2 Eggs)
• 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 Cups Corn Flakes (crushed) or Bread Crumbs

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

First: coat the chicken breast in corn starch and shake it off making sure there are no lumps of corn starch on the chicken. (I find putting it in a large zipper bag works perfectly for this)

Second: whisk together the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl; coat the chicken nicely in the mixture.

Third:  add the corn flakes or breadcrumbs into a shallow dish and coat the chicken completely. (The key here is to press the breading firmly onto the breast, especially if using corn flakes)

Finally: Place the chicken on a rack over a sheet pan and bake for about 20 minutes.

I have used both corn flakes (pictured) and regular bread crumbs (that I make) and it comes out amazing either way!  Just small things make a difference…use the corn starch in the beginning, bake it on a rack, and do not over cook it and you will have PERFECT chicken!  I call it OMG chicken because that is exactly what I said when I tried it. It is THAT good!  It actually led to another recipe that I am posting tomorrow!  Enjoy!