Monday’s Bread Bowl: Oven Fried Chicken and Peaches

Sweet, savory, and crispy -- oh my

Use white meat or dark meat for this recipe that knocks out the fat and mess of deep frying. It’s important to let the chicken rest for 15 minutes after removing from direct heat so be careful not to overcook it while it is still in the oven. Try this variation of baked chicken with peaches. The crispy outer coating locks in juices and flavors.

What you will need:

8-10 chicken pieces (we opted for thighs and drumsticks)
5- 6 yellow peaches, pitted and halved
Ground cinnamon
1 bowl (big enough to hold all chicken pieces)
1 large casserole pan
Pam cooking spray
2 baking pans
1 large Ziploc bag
1 ½ cup milk
¾ cup yellow mustard
3 eggs
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 cups plain crushed cornflakes
Pinch of salt and pepper

Cooking and Directions:

Place chicken, milk, mustard, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper in bowl. Mix well and coat chicken with spices. Cover with plastic wrap. Let chicken marinade for an hour. After chicken has been marinating, crush cornflakes in Ziploc bag and add panko crumbs. Beat eggs in casserole dish. Turn your attention to the oven and set it to 350 degrees for preheating. Next, dip each chicken piece in egg mixture and then place chicken into bag with bread crumbs and toss. Place chicken pieces - space them out- on baking pans that have been sprayed with Pam. Spray chicken lightly with Pam (another option is to drizzle just a bit of olive oil over top) to avoid drying out. Take peach halves and place each in spaces between chicken pieces. Do not pack too tightly or cooking time will need to be lengthened. Sprinkle cinnamon on peach halves before placing pans in preheated oven. Bake for 50 minutes to an hour. Take out pans and let it sit for 15 minutes so that the chicken can rest. Serve and enjoy!

* Peaches are in season where we live, but use canned peaches if fresh are not readily available. The key will be to thoroughly drain the canned peaches and then let them sit on a plate in a cool, well-ventilated place for a bit to drain some more.