Thursday, March 5, 2009

Oven Fried Chicken...

No beating around the bush here...I'm just jumping right in...

I had my fried chicken last night. And it was sooooo yummy. I even did it healthy!!

I started with the fried chicken recipe from the Biggest Loser show on Tuesday and tweaked it to meet my needs.

Like I said in yesterdays post I did opt for thighs because I just needed the extra taste and I know it made it a little more in calories and fat but I am on maintenance.

I made my own bread crumbs from my whole wheat light bread. After toasting the bread the night before and letting it set out all night to get good and hard, I put them in the food processor and ground he heck out of them until they were almost a powder. The whipped egg whites really helped the coating stick to the chicken and gave it a consistency more like the crusty chicken I used to fry. I then coated my baking dish with about a half tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and placed the chicken on that. I baked them on one side for 30 minutes at 350 degrees then flipped them and continued baking for another 30 minutes. (I baked them this long because I'd left the bone in.) When I took them out they looked just like my homemade! I was so excited and had a hard time waiting for my cabbage to get done so I could eat. There were a little drippings in the pan so I scraped it out and into a small skillet and made a little gravy. When I say a little I mean a really little. It made about 3 tablespoons of gravy but that's all I needed for a taste. I then baked a potato in the microwave and after scooping it out and mashing it with a little soy milk, salt and a little light butter, I poured the gravy over it. It was the best meal I've had in a long time.

The funny thing about my new eating habits is that when I fix myself something that I haven't had in a while I hit the veggies on my plate first. And it's not a conscious action either. My eyes just go to the veggies first and my mind thinks, "This cabbage (or what ever the veggie is) is really going to be goooooooood. So I ate about half the cabbage first. I first noticed this new habit during Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner this past year. Talk about new "good" habits.

Now comes the bad part. I made 2 thighs with the thought that I hadn't had fried chicken in such a long time I was going to have 2. One was enough!! Unlike in my previous life, I took my time eating and was really full after one piece of chicken. So, the bad part is that I have another piece of chicken in the fridge. I will have it all by itself today for lunch. Well, I may have some cabbage with it.

Had one serving of rice pudding left so that was dessert. Gonna make more of that today.

I'll be putting the fried chicken and gravy recipes on my recipe blog after I finish this.

It's so nice to see the temperature getting higher. It's supposed to be up to 70 here on Saturday. I can hardly wait!! I have some stuff that needs to be done outside and I have just been refusing to put on a coat and brave the cold we've been having.

Have a great day!!

12 comments:

grammy said...

That sounds yummy...and good for you. Glad it is warming up for you (o: It has been very nice here...in the seventies. I have not been walking likeI keep telling myself I am going to. Are you still using your Wi (not sure how to spell that)

Shelley said...

Looking forward to trying your recipe - it sounds so good!

grammy said...

I am back. It was nice to get your comment today. I had missed hearing from you (o: I will take some extra pics just for you! That is neat that you liked that picture. It is my favorite too. To get one like that without posing them is amazing to me. It touches me how much thier little profiles are alike. Have a great weekend.

MaryFran said...

You'll do just fine with that second chicken leg. You know how to manage your eating in order to allow for the extra points/calories that you need!

Vee said...

Yummy yummy - We have chicken almost every night but Tween doesn't like it except baked with cheese and bacon melted on it. Of course, I've been nauseous every afternoon so I'm basically out of the equation lately.

Good for you for not eating the second piece right away. Major accomplishment.

Vee at www.veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com

Shrink to Fit said...

My mouth is watering! Thanks for sharing all the details! Great picture, too.

BTW, I forgot to say the other day about your new do...love the pose!

Reen said...

Chicken sounds great! Hope to try it this week. I too will use the chicken thighs. :)

Cammy@TippyToeDiet said...

Sounds yummy! I've heard that using crushed Fiber One cereal instead of bread crumbs is also good. May have to have a taste testing over here. :)

SeaShore said...

Bad would have been eating both pieces at once, so you did really well!

Anonymous said...

Fried chicken sounds delicious. Also, there are some great canned turnip greens available in the "Glory" line. I hate leafy green things and I love these.

JC said...

Yours is the first blog I've read this week. It made me so hungry. Thanks for the receipe. I'll have to try it. I'm with you about the veggies. I want to eat those first and I look forward to them. Have a great weekend.

jinxxxygirl said...

Girl you are such an inspiration! Way to go with the chicken! Sounds yummy. I've always been a big veggie person the problem was i like chocolat and ice cream better. LOL!
My hubby and i went out to eat last nite. Its so funny our plates are so different. I had one roll with no butter. He had what 5 or 6, all of them slathered with butter, We both had steak, i had a baked sweet potato with a little butter , salt pepper, he had mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh and his steak was smothered with mushrooms and gray, mine plain, He had baked beans you know with brown sugar etc... i had broccolli and carrots. I keep hoping he will follow my example but not yet......Jinx!