My Kick-Ass Oven-Fried Chicken

I get my sexy, meaty legs down at the Granville Island Public Market, which I just happened to do yesterday with the inimitable GayBoy.

Here's how I dress 'em purty.

My Kick-Ass Oven-Fried Chicken

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In three separate shallow dishes:

• Dish 1: Put one cup all-purpose flour
• Dish 2: Beat 2 eggs
• Dish 3: Put one cup bread crumbs

Into EACH of the three shallow dishes, add:

• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon cracked pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Mix each shallow dish well -- the eggs, the flour, the breadcrumbs -- with the just-added spices.

Having prepared your chicken legs,* dip each chicken leg first into the seasoned flour, and cover well, patting the flour onto the leg. Then, dredge in the seasoned egg mixture. Let excess egg drip off before coating the eggy chicken leg in the spiced bread crumbs. Pat the crumbs onto the chicken, ensuring it's fully coated.

Put breaded chicken legs onto a greased cookie sheet. Spray each chicken leg lightly with your choice of non-stick cooking spray. (Olive oil in a spritzer works, Pam, whatever.) But lightly spray 'em as this is what gets you that "Shit, you BAKED this chicken?" crispy skin. Bake in a 400-degree oven for about 40 to 50 minutes, until done. Turn occasionally to ensure an even crust.

It's finger-lickin' good. I'm restraining myself, having made some today. Damn!

Now, a note to the purists: *I buy my chicken from a poultry man. He puts them in a pile in an itty bitty plastic bag, none of these fancy-ass supermarket trays with bleed bags on 'em. They've got chicken juice on 'em but they're fresh-killed 'cos it's a public market and all. So, I just rinse 'em quick and go ahead and dip them in flour. If you wanted to be all purist and fussy-britches about it, you could rinse 'em and then dip 'em in milk. I think that's fancy-pants. But if it's buttermilk, I'm so there for you! We loves the buttermilk. Me, I have no buttermilk... but if I did! Buttermilk + Breaded coating = Bliss!