Buttermilk Fried Chicken Breast

For a make at home fried chicken, this recipe is a score.  It uses boneless skinless breasts, and its really easy. Like my trusty favorite pulled chicken sandwich recipe, you have to start earlier in the day with the prep (here it is the essential buttermilk soak, there its the dry rub), but as long as you do that, it is easily assembled after a long work day.

Probably the best part, and what makes it so crunchy and good, is the use of the pan fry then bake method.  Ready the cast iron skillet!  I tossed some green beans and onions into the oven in a separate roasting dish, so we had meat and veggies in the oven and brown rice on the stovetop, which meant a much smaller mess than usual.  I love using the oven for a weeknight dinner because nothing makes dinner taste better than knowing clean up will be easy! (I can't be the only one who feels this way.) 

Try it out and let me know what you think!  I substituted my own gluten free ingredients (bread crumbs and flour) and the recipe came out great.  If you don't like spicy stuff, just omit the hot sauce and cayenne pepper.

Ingredients

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup hot pepper sauce
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk and hot pepper sauce. Place chicken in the mixture to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator 8 hours or overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a separate medium bowl, mix dry bread crumbs, flour, onion powder, cornstarch, white sugar, garlic salt, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Thoroughly coat the chicken in the bread crumb mixture.
4. Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, and cook chicken 5 to 7 minutes on each side, until lightly browned.
5. Transfer chicken to a medium baking dish, and bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Courtesy of Allrecipes