As much as we love fried chicken, we rarely make it at home. Many recipes use quite a bit of oil, which we oppose from a health and waste standpoint (we have a hard time using multiple cups of oil to make one meal) and makes a huge mess of the stove to boot. A classic version of fried chicken involves chicken pieces that are fried after being dredged in flour, rather than batter. We liked the simplicity of this approach, and by using whole wheat flour together with cornmeal, our chicken came out of the oven sporting golden brown skin and a flavorful crunch. While we are always looking for short cuts, we think it's worth it to allow the chicken to have a nice, long buttermilk bath. The result is a tangy taste and moist texture underneath a crispy exterior.
3 to 4 pounds chicken pieces
2 cups buttermilk
1 to 2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal
2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Pour buttermilk and hot sauce into a glass or plastic container with a cover (we used a large Tupperware container specifically designed for marinating meat). Place chicken in container and refrigerate either all day or overnight, or up to 24 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
3. In a pie pan or bowl, combine flour, corn meal, paprika, salt and pepper. Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk mixture and let excess buttermilk drip off. Dredge the chicken in the flour/corn meal mixture, making sure to coat the entire piece. Place chicken on a plate or tray. Repeat the dredging with the rest of the chicken pieces.
4. Put butter and oil in a shallow roasting pan and place in oven to melt, about 3 minutes. When butter is melted, arrange chicken in the baking pan in a single layer, skin side down.
5. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn each piece of chicken over and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes longer, or until chicken is tender and reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 8 to 24 hours marinating time
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes, plus 8 to 24 hours marinating time
