This dish right here is probably one of the reasons I have been married so long! This hands down is my husband’s favorite meal ever. I learned this early on in our relationship, his mom makes her own version, and this is what my husband would choose when it was his birthday to eat ever year. Mine is similar but different as I add cornflakes to the mix. My Dad used to make cornflake chicken for us when I was little for dinner when my mom was working the grill at our restaurant and it was dad’s turn to watch us. I love cornflakes in general but they take on a whole new identity when used in chicken breading. A very well-known biscuit shop here in pdx puts cornflakes on their famous breasts that lie between their homemade biscuits. Never underestimate this cold cereal its uses go far beyond a bowl and milk. I call this “semi-fried” since I shallow fry it and then put it in the oven, this cuts way down on the grease factor but still has all the flavor of its full fried friends.
You will need:
2 lbs chicken tenders, trimmed, you can use full breasts just remove the tender then cut the rest to a similar size for even cooking
½ cup AP flour
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
Dash of hot sauce
½ cup cornflakes, crushed
½ bread crumbs
1 tsp salt and pep
¼ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp cayenne
½ tsp dried herbs of choice
½ tsp Spanish paprika
½ cup cooking oil, high smoke point such as peanut
First thing first, after your chicken is trimmed and ready season all with the spices, both sides, don’t be stingy. Next in a medium bowl whip your egg with the milk and hot sauce, set aside. Next combine bread crumbs with cornflakes on a large plate. Set up a breading station, first the flour, then the egg wash, and finally a good dunk in the bread/flakes. Repeat until all the pieces of chicken are well coated. Heat a frying pan over medium high heat, add half of your oil, when shimmering add two pieces of chicken at a time, cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side then put on a cookie sheet in the oven set to 300 degrees. When your oil starts to look low add the remaining oil and finish frying the rest of your chicken, then place in oven. While your chicken is in the oven prepare gravy if you like, I use the oil I fried the chicken in, if there is more than about 2 tbsp left drain the excess, add two tbsp. of your flour you used to dredge your chicken in. Over medium heat, cook your oil and flour till golden, add two cups of chicken stock, bring to a boil and you have gravy! My mom always called this “crackling” gravy, as it utilized the crackins from frying your chicken. I served ours with Yukon gold mashers and fresh, local, steamed green beans. So good the colonel himself would second guess his recipe! Since it is without skin and full fry it is a healthier option when you have that craving…..not health food by any means….but an improvement…a delicious, crowd pleasing improvement. All things in moderation my friends.
Eat, Drink, and be local! A unconventional food blog!