Crunchy Buttermilk Baked Chicken

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Hello loyal follower(s)

     Today, Mr Nut played the role of Sous Chef and prepared dinner.  For a salad he used Mr Nut’s  Potato Salad (see blog May 9, 2011).  However, there were no radishes, so for color chopped carrots were used.  Also, with a glut of fresh pea pods on hand, he chopped some up and added them to the salad ( a good choice).  Mr Nut encourages experimentation when possible, that is why he likes bread making.

      From the magazine Cook’s Country, a recipe for Crunchy Buttermilk Baked Chicken was modified and rewritten to satisfy the quirks of Mr Nut.  Much experimentation was done in their test kitchen. The following pictures were from the efforts at cooking by Mr Nut.

The recipe was for any part of the chicken, but Mr nut only had chicken breasts.  Here they were soaking in the marinade.  Looks like a lot of waste but the buttermilk only cost forty-one cents.

Moved the chicken breast to the bread crumbs. Only one was coated in this picture.

The chicken has been breaded and was ready for the oven.  The breading was made from Mr Nut's bread, commercial bread crumbs had too much sodium. 

 In the oven at start of baking.

The meal, Mr Nut's Potato Salad, steamed Swiss Chard and the baked chicken breasts.  Notice the imported napkin.

The original recipe was for 4 servings and was base on three pounds bone in  chicken parts.   Mr Nut cut the recipe in half, and there still was enough chicken for four services.

Recipe follows:

À bientôt, 

Mr Nut

BUTTERMILK BAKED CHICKEN

Modified from Cook’s country Magazine Promotion edition 2011

Serves 2 

Use any combination of white and dark meat.  For even cooking, halve breasts crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks.

Brine Ingredients:

                                1 cup buttermilk

                                1/8 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon ranch seasoning mix (Hidden Valley brand)

                                  1/2 tablespoon sea salt

                                   1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, skin and excess fat removed.

Coating Ingredients:

                                  6.5 ounces; 190g (about two slices) of hearty bread, torn into pieces

Rest of the half  envelope of ranch seasoning mix (one ounce packet:  Hidden Valley brand)

TEST KITCHEN DISCOVERY 

Buttermilk Brine: Most recipes simply dip the chicken in buttermilk—which adds no discernible buttermilk flavor. We soaked the chicken in a highly seasoned buttermilk brine, which flavored the chicken deeply.

Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven racks to lowest and middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees.

1.  BRINE CHICKEN Whisk together the blue ingredients in large bowl until salt dissolves. Add chicken and toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2.  MAKE COATING Meanwhile, pulse bread and remaining of the 1/2 ounce ranch seasoning mix in food processor until finely ground. Bake bread crumbs at 300℉ on rimmed baking sheet on middle rack, stirring occasionally, until light golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer to shallow dish.

3.  COAT CHICKEN Line rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. Remove chicken from bowl (allowing excess brine to drip back into bowl) and dredge in breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere. Transfer coated chicken to prepared baking sheet, and spray lightly with cooking spray.

4.  BAKE CHICKEN Bake on lowest rack until bottom of chicken is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Move baking sheet to middle rack and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake until chicken is golden brown and white meat registers160 degrees (or dark meat registers 175 degrees), 20 to 25 minutes. Serve.