Picnic From Home: Oven Baked "Fried" Chicken and All the Fixings

So I set out to make a healthier more gourmet version on chicken and waffle, but after TRX, it's pretty impossible to not devour the food in front of me. With a little restraint I took some photos of this, most amazing oven fried chicken recipe! It's got the crunch and juiciness of any fried chicken, minus the grease and uneasiness after consumption!

I've been told that it's comparable (dare I say!?!) to the beloved fried chicken sandwich fro Bakesale Betty in Temescal! I mean that place ONLY sells fried chicken sandwiches...and makes a killing doing it!

So how did I great something similar at home?? What was the secret?

Seasoning...a really amazing and authentic Cajun seasoning (yup, straight from NOLA!)

I used those low car 100-calorie wheat "buns". Let's just say that they are great for veggie burgers and the likes of a more "soft" sandwich, so to speak. The crispiness of the chicken outshines the bun, which was really useless...damn! Should have gone FULL CARB for this one! Especially, since this is a slimmed down version of a fried chicken sando. Lesson learned.

The kale salad really went well and "wet" the wheat buns a little, but I think an aioli of sorts would have made this sando just out of this world.

The potato salad was spot on! After a few tweaks and attempts at this recipe I've been grappling for a bit now, I found that less is really more in a great potato salad. When you can taste and see the ingredients.. and well that's when you know you've hit the nail on the head and actually made something beyond palatable.

Oven Fried Chicken Sandwich Topped with Kale Slaw and Side Potato Salad

Ingredients:
For Oven Fried Chicken:

• 2-3 chicken breasts, cut in half so they become chicken tenders
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs, seasoned with Cajun seasoning 
• 3/4 cup flour, seasoned with salt and pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/4cup milk
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 Tbl Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1-2 tsp of your favorite hot sauce
• Olive oil

For Kale Slaw:

• 1 bunch of lactino or dinosaur kale, stems removed and leaves thinly sliced (not torn!)
• 3 Tbl olive oil
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• Juice of one lemon
• Black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• Handful of Parmesan cheese (optional)

For Potato Salad

• 1 lb. of fingerling or red potatoes, cubed or halved if they are a bit big
• 3/4 cup mayo (low-fat is fine!)
• 1 Tbl Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbl agave 
• Lots of pepper
• Chives, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2-3 hard boiled eggs, chopped (optional) 

Directions for Salads:
 1. Rinse kale and "peel" leave off the the stem. Kale easily pulls apart from the middle stem, so this should be quick.
2. Gather your kale leaves and became slicing them thinly, or julienne them. Place in a bowl.
3. In a small bowl, whisk fresh lemon juice, olive oil, minced garlic, pepper and red pepper until well combined.
4. Pour dressing over kale leaves and "massage" them from about 1-2 mins. The olive oil will soften and make the leaves more palatable, allowing for the flavors to absorbed in the leaves.
5. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and store in the fridge for at least 5 minutes before serving, this allows for the flavors to marinate. Make this salad hours or even a day ahead for an even more delicious kale slaw!
6. For potato salad: half potatoes and place in a pot full of water and bring to a boil. DO NOT add potatoes to already boiling water, talk about dangerous!
7. Once potatoes have boiled for 10-15 mins, remove from stove, drain and let them cool.
8. To make the dressing, combine 3/4 cup of mayo, 1 Tbl Dijon mustard and 1 Tbl agave in a small bowl.
9. Add liberal amounts of pepper and more agave (if necessary), if the dressing is tasty a little too tangy from the mustard
10. As potatoes have slightly cooled (but not all the way as the dressing might not "stick" to the potatoes if they are totally cool!), cut potatoes into chunks and place in tupperware.
11. Add in dressing and toss well. Do not worry if you mash some of the potatoes, that's a pretty normal thing to happen to potato salad!
12. Add in red pepper and handful of chopped chives (love that mild onion flavor...) and mix well. Store in the fridge for a least 20-30 minutes before serving. Again, this salad also tastes better, days after!

Directions for Chicken Sando:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice chicken breast in half to make about 6-7 tenders.
2. In mixing bowl, whisk eggs, milk, Cajun seasoning, pepper, garlic salt, paprika and hot sauce well. Set aside.

3. In one plate, mix flour salt and pepper.
4. In another plate, mix Panko bread crumbs, a punch of Cajun seasoning and olive oil.

5. Dip chicken tenders in flour, dusting off any excess flour. Then dip in egg mixture, then into Panko. Lay on a non-stick cookie sheet lined with parchment (or a Silpat like mine!)
6. Bake until chicken is fully cooked and Panko slightly golden brown on the outside, this takes about 30-35 minutes.
7. Assemble your sandwich with all your favorite fixings! Tastes great, reheated on a salad, for next day's lunch!

Holiday Healthy Series: The Skinny on Mozzarella Sticks and What To Do with that Leftover Kale?

DOUBLE WHAMMY! Yes, there are two, recipes in this week's holiday healthy series.

I imagine that these skinny mozzarella sticks are perfect for tailgating or freezing for the next party that comes around (these keep VERY well in the freezer, by the way). So the question is, why not just buy store bought? Give this recipe a try and you will taste the difference. The double Panko breadcrumbs layering on these bad boys make these crunchy, gives lots of texture and is way less soggy than anything you might buy store bought. I added my own Italian seasoning to the breadcrumbs and I could really taste the difference.

Frozen sticks? Thaw these guys for at least 15 minutes at room temperature. For long term storage, store in plastic tupperware.

I used about 2 inches of canola oil to fry these puppies! Look at that golden crust!

Run-of-the-mill bar food, or a gourmet appetizer that is not only vegetarian, but will keep hungry party-goers nice and full. 

These sticks are served great with marinara, honey mustard, or chipotle aioli (if you are looking for a kick!)

Skinny Mozzarella Sticks

Adapted from The Vegetarian Ginger 

Ingredients:

Here's how I set up my assembly line!

• 1 pack of 24 low-fat Mozzarella string cheese
• 1 3/4 cups of Panko breadcrumbs
• 4 tsp. of your favorite Italian seasoning blend ( I used: oregano, basil, garlic powder and black pepper)
• 3/4 cup of flour
• 4 eggs, beaten until fluffy
• Canola oil, filling pan at about 2 inches

Directions:

1. In 2 separate plates, pour flour and then Panko breadcrumbs. Season breadcrumbs with herbs and mix well. 
2. Beat eggs in a separate bowl until fluffy. 
3. Unwrap cheese and half mozzarella string cheese, to make 24 whole sticks into 48 halves. 
4. Roll cheese in flour, shaking off any excess. Then batter in egg and finally roll in breadcrumbs. 
5. Repeat battering cheese stick in egg and second layer of Panko, this will make it extra crunchy! 
6. Place breaded mozzarella sticks on a cookie sheet. Once all of the cheese has been breaded, place them in the freezer for at least 2 hrs and cover loosely with plastic wrap. This will allow the breadcrumbs to set, making sure that the breading does not fall apart once it goes  into the hot oil. 
7. In a shallow pan (a wok works well for this as well!), heat 2 inches of canola oil on medium-low heat. Test the oil with a breadcrumb to make sure that it does not sink to the bottom of the pan, but rather floats to the top. Once it does this, fry 5-6 mozzarella sticks at a time. 
8. Remove them as they begin to brown and crisp (about 4 mins.) and let the oil drain on a plate covered in paper towel. Serve immediately, or line tupperware with parchment paper to reheat at 200 degrees later. 

Go Sassy or Go Home!

You may have noticed a few new changes to Kneading Sass. I'm finally getting around to using my logo, wherever I can, including as the header for this blog! I've also, kindly spammed many of you to like, share and follow my Facebook page found here. (See how I am shamelessly promoting it again!) An just in case you are curious, my Twitter handle is @KneadingSass.

Now that we've got business out of the way...it's time to talk about food... and chicken breast to be exact! Chicken is a very versatile meat and chicken breast can be made a million and one ways. And while that's all fine and dandy, I am notorious for overcooking my chicken. It's pretty awful and I am a bit ashamed to admit it but, frankly, I know many cooking enthusiasts  that are fearful of cooking, chicken (compared to other meats) simply because they are afraid of serving something a little too pink, a tad undercooked...  and well, chicken is one of few meats, that CANNOT be served raw! What a lose/lose, right? Except there is hope!

Breading your chicken is a tried and true way for locking in the natural moisture and juices that make chicken tender and delicious. Let's not forget it creates a wonderful texture and crunch that can really give a little umph to the everyday, boring piece of chicken breast. Now, I know people don't usually equate breading with healthy eating, but using Panko breadcrumbs is a more figure friendly way to bread a sub par piece of chicken.

Panko breadcrumbs are not only less fattening than regular breadcrumbs, but they are much larger than your normal breadcrumbs. You'll need a scant amount of Panko to cover the same amount of surface area as compared to the regular stuff (very scientific sounding I know!) You can also lightly toast your breadcrumbs in a skillet, to bring out its buttery flavor, sans using any butter, as well as add whatever spices to the Panko, to give your chicken even more flavor.

See how I turned that into a win/win?

Goat Cheese, Mozzarella, Olive Stuffed Panko Chicken Breast

So crispy, so delicious

Kneading Sass original 

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken breasts partially halved
• 2 oz. favorite goat cheese, about half of a standard-sized log of goat cheese ( I used Cypress Lavender and Honey, it's my favorite herbed goat cheese)
• 2 pieces, sliced, then halved, mozzarella (or use 2 small, handfuls of shredded mozzarella) 
• 1 Tb. chopped olives
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs, seasoned with: dried oregano, dried basil, garlic powder, pepper, Italian seasoning and fresh, grated Parmesan, to taste

Directions: 

1. Preheat over to 400 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with Pam, any other cooking spray, to prevent chicken from sticking to the sheet. 
2. Half chicken breasts, make a deeps slit, but not cutting in half all the way through. Layer sliced mozzarella, crumble desired amount of goat cheese and sliced olives. This order prevents any of the filling from falling out. 
3. In a shallow dish lightly beat eggs whites. In another shallow dish, mix Panko breadcrumbs and herbs. 
4. Carefully coat chicken in egg white mixture. Using a pastry brush to egg wash the top of the chicken breast would be easiest, instead of turning over stuffed chicken (and possibly losing all the good stuff inside!) 
5. Place chicken breast in the dish with breadcrumbs, using your hands or a spoon to evenly coat the top of the chicken as well. 
6. Place in the oven for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 170 degrees or no longer pink. 
7. This recipe serves 2, but can easily be scaled up to serve more people. I served this dish with a side of garlicky, cooked spinach. 

The cookie sheet--a gateway to baking

DISCLAIMER: I finally made some cucpcakes for the 4th of July, red velvet to be exact ( I mean I know the recipe like the back of my hand!) Nothing screams "HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA" like some good, old-fashioned red velvet (insert Paula Deen twang here). Sorry, they were devoured before I could take a decent photo...


But let's celebrate the fact that I, finally, used my Silpat yesterday. I baked some simple and surprisingly light, stuffed mushrooms. They complimented my grilled chicken well and would be certainly light enough along side a beef dish as well. Portobello mushrooms, which are often the mushroom of choice for stuffing, are very hearty and have a meaty texture. They are great for main dishes if you are a vegetarian, but I think these mushrooms, as a side, make more sense with your protein. With that said, I've made a variety of stuffed mushrooms dishes, but this seems to be least labor intensive, with practical ingredients that many people usually have on hand, and packs some real heat! Never underestimate the power of Tapatio, it's got a vinegar-y kick if you use enough of it. 


So this is from Pioneer Woman's blog. She's become quite famous and I can see. She's unpretentious and got some twang and sass that people can't get enough of. In fact, rumor has it, she getting a show on The Food Network, and they actually describe her as sassy...I mean LOOK at that red hair, I don't what's sassier?! Well, I'd like to think that these stuffed  mushrooms, adapted from the Pioneer Woman's spicy stuffed mushroom recipe, channeled some sass. Also, I'd like to point out how subtly, tacky her blog theme is. It shows she humble, down to earth and honest-to-god, damn good cook! Or maybe I'm just reading into her circa 1989 blog, just a little too much. Either way it's super garish and I love it.


Below is the modified (I always do this!) version of her recipe. Whatever is in parenthesis is what's in the original recipe, I clearly improvised with what I had and made something equally as delicious!

Stuffed Mushrooms with a Dash of Sass

My first Silpat creation, cheesy, spicy and deliciously, light.

adapted from Pioneer Woman


Ingredients:

• 24 oz. white mushrooms
• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. butter
• half of a white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 8 oz. low fat ricotta cheese (or 8 oz. weight cream cheese, softened)
• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese ( had some deli slices on hand, so I ripped two of those up instead. See how I'm improvising here!)
• 1/2 cup Grated Monterey Jack Or Farmer's Cheese
• a handful of fresh spinach leaves (or 1 package (small) chopped spinach, thawed)
• a few dashes dashes of Tapatio (or Choulula)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash and dry mushrooms. Pull the stems off the mushrooms, then chop the stems finely. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and chopped mushrooms stems and saute for several minutes, or until soft and starting to turn golden. Add panko crumbs, salt, and pepper. Stir and continue cooking for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, add ricotta cheese, grated cheeses, and the cooled mushroom/onion/panko mixture. Fold together to combine. Rip or chop spinach, add to bowl, alongside a dash of salt, a little pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Fold together until combined.

Using a spoon, mound the mixture into the stemmed mushroom caps. Use the spoon to round the mixture on top. Don't be afraid if the filling isn't really fitting, overflowing is fine! Place on a baking sheet or in a baking dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms are cooked and the filling is hot. Serve immediately or at room temperature.