Guilt Free Buttermilk "Fried" Chicken

Note from Cheri: Guilt-free Fried Chicken? It sounds too good to be true, but Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey, those culinary superheroes of 99% Fat-Free Cooking fame have done it again. This recipe is from their new book Guilt Free Frying. Barry says that buttermilk is the secret ingredient that really makes this recipe work. Read more about it in my interview with Barry.

From the book Guilt-Free Frying - All your favorite "fried" foods with no muss, no fuss and almost no fat!, by Barry Bluestein and Kevin Morrissey.

1 fryer chicken ( 3 - 3/12 lbs.) cut into 8 pieces 2 1/2 C buttermilk 2 cloves garlic, smashed 1/3 C Dijon mustard 1 3/4 tsp. salt 1 1/2 C breadcrumbs 1 1/2 C flour 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/2 tsp. paprika

Serves 6 Pre-heat oven to 475°F (245°C). Remove the skin from all pieces of chicken except the wings and put chicken into a large, heavy-duty plastic storage bag. Add the buttermilk, garlic, mustard and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt. Squeeze the air from the bag, seal tightly and shake the bag to evenly coat the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours, gently shaking the bag periodically. Spray a heavy-gauge, non-stick baking sheet with cooking spray. Mix bread crumbs, flour, cayenne, paprika and the remaining 1 tsp. salt on a plate. Drain the chicken. Turn each piece of chicken in the bread crumb mixture to coat all over, and place, bone side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Let site for 5 minutes, then spray the chicken to coat lightly with cooking spray. Place the baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the pieces of chicken over with a spatula, taking care not to dislodge any coating, and reposition the sheet in the middle of the oven. Bake until the chicken is well browned, about 20 minutes. Nutrient Information per Serving: Calories: 350 Protein: 38 gm Carbohydrates 31g Fat: 6 gm