Kentucky Fried Chicken - on a DIET...

I enjoy keeping extra fried chicken in the refrigerator during the summer - it almost makes me want to be one of those Southern gals who pack picnic lunches and take a pail of FRIED CHICKEN, making everyone envious of her cooking skills... (I can always dream, can’t I?)

I’m coming clean here - I LOVE Kentucky Fried Chicken. But only when I’m extra hungry and I don’t care if it’s good for me or not. Which is about every three months it seems. Most of the time I resist, and when I give in - I regret it for the next three months. Then the cycle repeats. This seasoning blend and cooking method will fool you into thinking it’s the real deal, but without the extra calories from deep-fat frying.

I am not claiming this is the original “secret” KFC recipe - but I think I like this almost as much... Today when I was in one of my craving KFC moods - I did another search for a recipe that sounded promising. I think this one should make the Colonel worried just a tad... What do you think?

I placed my coated chicken on a rack over a foil-lined dripper pan - this made the chicken bake faster, as well as keeping it from swimming in grease as it baked. Cleanup was fast and easy - by just tossing the foil in the garbage.

I cut this recipe in half - and then only used half of it for four HUGE leg quarters. I stored the remaining seasoning mixture in a zip-loc baggie labeled with “KFC Seasoning” in my refrigerator.

Yes - the measurements ARE correct! You'll probably be surprised by how MUCH paprika, pepper, and dry mustard is called for - but the thing that really surprised me was the MSG! My goodness - I’m old enough to remember all the bad publicity from MSG... The “sleeper” ingredient though was the ginger... Who ever thought ginger would be in the “secret” KFC recipe... And who knows if it really is, anyway?!

For this "secret" KFC recipe, photos, and tips - go to:
www.changeabletable.com ("empty nest" tab)