Oven-Baked Fried Chicken

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

This "southern" dish is something I learned from a friend who is also a wonderful cook. She is a Filipina married to an American but I really cannot say that this dish is an Americanized version of something from back home. Rather, it is a take on southern fried chicken cooked a healthier way. However, I do prefer to use chicken thighs for this dish as having the bone in helps keep the chicken moist. You can also use white meat but I suggest you keep the breast bone in and adjust the cooking time to ensure it does not end up like a dried prune. 

My friend served this dish for Sunday lunch after mass while I was still in graduate school in Florida. It came out of the oven hot and golden brown and juicy and crunchy and just oh so good. I just loved it and I had to investigate how she made this dish and after knowing how simple it was, this is how I make fried chicken now. Over the years, I've learned to add some herbs to the coating mix to enhance its flavor although there is really no need for it. It does add a sense of je ne sais quoi to the dish and my favored choice is Herbes de Provence.

Oven-Baked Fried Chicken

Copyright 2011 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

2-3 lbs chicken thighs, 
  skin on
salt and pepper
1/3 cup flour
Herbes de Provence

1. Thaw the chicken and 
    pat dry. Season with 
    salt and pepper on 
    both sides. 

2. In a pie plate, mix the 
    flour with about 1/2tsp 
    salt and a few turns of 
    black pepper. Add 1/2 tsp Herbes de Provence and mix well. 

3. Coat the chicken pieces with the flour mix and lay flat (skin side up) on a 
    lined baking sheet. 

4. Bake the chicken on a preheated oven at 375°F for about an hour or until 
    the skin is crispy. Halfway through, baste the skin with the juices on the 
    pan. 

5. You can also sprinkle additional Herbes de Provence to the chicken pieces 
    10 minutes prior to it being done.