Picnic Oven-Fried Chicken

I'm not sure who loves picnics more--me, my husband, or my kids. They are the perfect way to share quality time with your family and friends. It doesn't matter if it is at the park, in your backyard, next to the pool, or after a hike/bike ride/walk, by packing together a blanket and a smorgasbord of food and drinks, you almost can guarantee a happy family.

This chicken is the perfect picnic food. I doubled the recipe, and after a brief cool time, packed it in our cooler, and headed out the door. We served it cold hours later and everyone enjoyed multiple drumsticks, along with a green salad, fresh fruit, sparkling lemonade, and oatmeal cookies. Whatever the sides, this chicken is good, much healthier than its fried cousin, and tastes amazing.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken drumsticks, skin removed and trimmed
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Olive oil cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Whisk buttermilk, mustard, and garlic in medium bowl until well blended. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour or for up to 8 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil. Set a wire rack on the baking sheet and coat it with cooking spray.

3. Whisk flour, sesame seeds, paprika, thyme, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Place mixture in a large sealable plastic bag.

4. Shaking off excess marinade, place one or two pieces of chicken at a time in the bag and shake to coat. Shake off excess flour and place chicken on the prepared rack. (Discard any leftover flour mixture and marinade.) Spray chicken with cooking spray.

5. Bake chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 40 to 50 minutes.

6. Serve with your favorite side salad, green vegetable, or other picnic accompaniment of choice.


Recipe from FoodNetwork.com; Modifications mine.

Yields: 4-6 servings. Each serving contains: Calories 227; Carbohydrates 5 g; Protein 34 g; Fat 7 g; Saturated Fat 2 g; Cholesterol 130 g; Monounsaturated Fat 2 g; Dietary Fiber 1 g; Sodium 263 mg; Potassium 423 mg

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