Pecan and Rosemary Oven-Fried Chicken

I haven't had fried chicken in years.... years! It's not that I dislike it, because believe me, when I had no palette, I loved Popeye's/KFC. It's just that, well, nutritionally speaking, it's not the leader of the pack. I can imagine there are some outstanding fried chicken recipes out there, but for now, I'm happy with the following: Pecan and Rosemary Oven "Fried" Chicken.

I'll be honest, it doesn't taste fried. It does, however, taste a little bit like a Thanksgiving dinner. And the bonus? It's a light recipe! I know... awesome. So, definitely give this one a try, because it's truly a chicken dish that will make it into my routine.

What ya need:
1/4 cup low-fat butter milk
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
4 (6-oz) chicken cutlets
1/3 cup panko (these are Japanese breadcrumbs... use regular if you don't have panko!)
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans (use walnuts if you'd prefer)
2 tbsp grated Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano if you're ritzy)
3/4 tsp minced fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
Cooking Spray

What ya do:
1. Preheat oven to 425°
2. Combine buttermilk and mustard in a dish,whisking together. Add chicken to buttermilk mixture, turning to coat.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko to pan; cook 3 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently. Combine panko, nuts, Parmesan, rosemary, salt and pepper in a dish. Remove chicken from buttermilk mixture and dredge in the spice mixture. 

4. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired.

It was crispy, flavorful, and like I said, tasted a bit like Thanksgiving, but summery? I don't know how to describe it! But... yummy, really yummy. You'll want to try this, really. It's simple and healthy! Give it a try instead of your regular grilled chicken!

Herbal, dude.

I was very excited when my parents came home with fresh herbs today. You know what that means—an herb garden. Yep, they’re potted and planted and ready to chop up and use by the masses. Yum. So, then I thought, as much as I love herbs, I don’t reallyknow what all of them work well for. I know I like cilantro with my Mexican, oregano on my pizza, rosemary on my potatos, but really, I can’t put an herb to a dish. Can you? So, here we go, a look into who does what, from my garden to yours.

 This makes me so happy!

Sweet Basil: aromatic and strong spicy flavor; great in tomato-flavored dishes. Totally necessary for pesto. Good with beans, cheese, chicken, eggs, fish, marinades, pasta, etc. Add it just before serving as it’s flavor diminishes quickly. Tear, don’t chop, this delicate herb!

Sweet Marjoram: has a mild oregano flavor with a hint of balsam;good  with veal, beef, lamb, roasted poultry, fish, pates, green veggies, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, eggs, mushrooms, parsnips, potatoes, squash, and tomatoes.

Thai Basil: much stronger than Mediterranean basil, but used in Thai, Indian and Italian recipes. It’s good with eggplant, rice, poultry and seafood.

 Thyme: often included in seasoning blends for poultry and stuffing and also commonly used in fish sauces, chowders, and soups. It goes well with lamb and veal as well as in eggs, custards, and croquettes. Thyme often is paired with tomatoes.

 Curled Parsley: used as a garnish and also in soups, salads or most meats

 Dill: pickles!!! YUM. Very good in breads, soups, meats, salads and dips

 Chives: perfect in cheese dishes, or with eggs and fish; garnish in soups, salads, vegetable dishes. Best if fresh!

 Oregano (my favorite): use in tomato dishes, pizza, spaghetti sauce; in Greek, Italian, and Mexican dishes.

 Rosemary: use in rice dishes or Mediterranean food. Use to season lamb, beef, veal, poultry, soups and stews, potatoes, and breads such as rosemary focaccia.

 Tarragon: use to season veal, lamb, beef, poultry, seafood, eggs, salads, dressings, mushrooms, asparagus.

 Sage: don't use this much but fish, meats, poultry, salads, sausages, soups, stuffings 

 Aren't they purrty? Fresh. Mmm... Can't wait to see what comes out of this!