Oven-Fried Chicken

I was having one of those days. You know, one of those days: the kind that really don't need further explanation. I wasn't nearly as on my game as usual and there was 4 lbs of drumsticks sitting in the fridge that were going to go bad. So although this isn't the most extravagant thing I could have done with them, it took me 10 (yes, 10) minutes to pull some oven-fried chicken together, all with things already in my pantry that you would probably have on-hand, too. Dinner was on the table (well, on a blanket in the living room, rather. Yup, one of those days.) at 6.

This recipe originally came from Betty Crocker's Bisquick cookbook. I'm proud to announce that we no longer keep bisquick in the house. I can also tell you that I haven't missed it. It just doesn't bother me to measure out 3 ingredients instead of one, especially when it means I have control over those ingredients. So I changed this recipe by making a simple subsititution for the bisquick, and I can tell you that it tastes just as good.

Recipe:

1 Tablespoon butter

2/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3- to 3 1/2-pound cut-up chicken (I just used drumsticks this time because they were super cheap)

Heat oven to 425. Melt butter in rectangular baking dish or pan in oven.

Mix all dry ingredients together. Coat chicken in this mixture.

Place chicken skin sides down in pan (pan and butter should be hot).

Bake uncovered for 35 minutes; turn chicken. Bake about 15 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is no longer pink.

Variations: decrease flour & baking powder by 1/2 and add 1/2 cup grated parmesan for Parmesan Oven-Fried Chicken. Or, decrease flour to 1/2 cup and baking powder to 3/4 tsp and add 2 T yellow cornmeal and 1-2 T chili powder for Mexican Oven-Fried Chicken.

I stuck half of the chicken pieces in the freezer for days that I don't have any idea what else to make. And even though it's nothing fancy, the whole family likes it. And, this meal, which provided us dinner and a delicious chicken salad for lunch the next day, cost me less than $5 at regular price, making it a great last-minute recipe.