RECIPE | OVEN "FRIED" CHICKEN

Here's the first of what I hope to be many "From the Kitchen" posts.  Living in my own apartment this year, away from my mother's wonderful cooking, has taught me to appreciate the art of preparing meals.  I have always loved to bake but I now also hunger (see what I did there?) for exciting new dinner recipes that don't break the bank or take too much time to prepare.  The following oven "fried" chicken recipe is one my mom has been using for years.  It's nothing revolutionary but every time I take a bite, I can't help but think how little effort it took to make something so scrumptious.  Plus, it tastes just like fried chicken (maybe even better) but it's baked!

What you'll need: 

Corn Flakes

Mayonnaise

Black Pepper

Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Garlic Salt

Herbs of choice 

Chicken cut (s) of choice

Greased cooking pan

Preheat oven to 375

prep time: 7 minutes

cooking time: 50 minutes

Step 1. Crush the Corn Flakes.  I used a bread pan, but a bowl would work just fine.  The amount of corn flakes you will need will depend on how much chicken you will be cooking.  I used about 1.5 cups for two large chicken thighs.  You can always add more Corn Flakes if necessary. I like to add some Corn Flakes, crush them a little, and then repeat the process.  This way, you will end up with some very fine crumbs as well as larger crumbs (this helps ensure that the entire surface of the chicken is covered).  

Step 2. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over each piece of chicken.  It gets pretty messy, but I just used my hands to spread it around.  It is inevitable that your hands will be covered in chicken juice and Corn Flakes anyways, so why not a little mayo? 

Step 3. Roll the chicken in the pan of Corn Flakes. 

Step 4. Add the seasonings! Again, the amount of seasoning will depend on the amount of chicken and also your personal preference.  I particularly enjoy Lawry's Season Salt and Garlic Salt so I add a few dashes to each piece of chicken.  A couple dashes of black pepper and a pinch of your favorite herbs (I used basil and oregano) and you're ready to pop those babies in the oven.  Bake at 375 for 50 minutes on a greased pan.  You do not have to flip the chicken half way through or else you will lose the Corn Flake coating.  

Bon Apetit!