Oven Fried Chili Chicken
Adapted from Family Circle Magazine, September 2009. A crunchy and spicy oven fried chicken. I made a vegetarian option along with the chicken by slicing portabella mushrooms. If you have kids, skip the spice and just use garlic salt and pepper instead.
Adapted from Family Circle Magazine, September 2009. A crunchy and spicy oven fried chicken. I made a vegetarian option along with the chicken by slicing portabella mushrooms. If you have kids, skip the spice and just use garlic salt and pepper instead.
- Carbohydrate 11.619543 g
- Cholesterol 88.140675 mg
- Fat 16.81489075 g
- Fiber 0.130687502235174 g
- Protein 19.158302 g
- Saturated Fat 5.58410895 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (135g)
- Sodium 179.0467 mg
- Sugar 11.4888554977648 g
- Trans Fat 1.050950925 g
- Calories 279 calories
Step-by-step
- Heat oven to 375. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.
- Prepare the corn flakes by either crunching by hand (will result in very crunch chicken) or placing in a plastic bag or wrap and rolling with a rolling pin (still crunchy but less coarse). Add in the french fried onions, if using.
- In a pie dish or shallow bowl, whisk together the corn flake crumbs, chili powder, cumin and garlic salt.
- Pour evaporated milk into a second pie dish.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chiken thigh into the milk. then roll it around in the corn flake crumbs until completely coated. Shake off excess. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken.
- Bake chicken at 375 for 50-55 minutes or until golden and crispy and internal temperature registers 160 on an instand-read thermometer. (Note - if making the mushrooms also, they will be ready after about 30 minutes).
Swapping canned evaporated milk for fresh whole milk alters the protein structure of the wet coating, which directly impacts how securely the corn flake crumbs adhere to the meat during high-heat convection. Understanding the chemical and physical mechanics of each component allows you to modify the process without sacrificing the signature crunch. When adapting traditional pan-frying methods to a 375 degree oven environment, moisture management becomes the single most important factor determining whether the coating turns golden brown or steams into a soggy crust.
- Crushing corn flakes by hand yields irregular, coarse flakes that create a deeply rugged exterior texture, whereas running a rolling pin over cereal sealed inside a plastic bag produces uniform fine particles that adhere more evenly across every contour of the poultry.
- Evaporated milk contains less water content than standard dairy, offering concentrated proteins that act as a superior natural glue for securing dry breading to bone-in pieces without requiring a messy flour and egg dredge station.
- Baking bone-in thighs for 50 to 55 minutes ensures the meat safely reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit on an instant-read thermometer while rendering out excess subcutaneous fat beneath the skin.
- Utilizing canned french fried onions adds dehydrated alliums that caramelize further in the oven, but watch the baking sheets closely because these processed toppings burn much faster than plain cereal crumbs if the heat exceeds 375 degrees.
- Portabella mushrooms require a significantly shorter cooking duration than bone-in chicken thighs and will completely dehydrate if left in the oven for the full hour, meaning they must be pulled out around the 30-minute mark to retain moisture.
Adjusting pantry staples requires careful attention to fat content, moisture levels, and sugar percentages to maintain the structural integrity of the final dish. Properly calibrated preparation techniques ensure reliable results whether serving the finished pieces warm immediately out of the oven or allowing them to cool completely to room temperature.
