This is probably one of the most challenging recipes I’ve formulated and tested. It took me three tries to get the texture and taste I wanted. It’s got the batter and crunch of fried chicken without all the fat and the mashed potatoes have no butter or milk. The red-eye gravy has no fat either. Here you go.
Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 TB sea salt plus 2 tsp
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp black pepper
2 eggs
2 cups of stuffing in the bag (not the cubes)
cooking spray
2 lbs potatoes
1 cup freshly grated parmesan (It’s actually only a couple of ounces when freshly grated)
1/2 cup chicken stock plus 1 cup
1 tsp espresso
Wondra flour
Method
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Trim chicken breasts and lightly pound to even out the thickness. Put enough water in a frying pan to just cover the chicken breasts. Add 1 tsp salt to the water. Bring it up to a simmer and place the breasts in the pan. Poach at a simmer for 6 minutes. While they are poaching, prepare the batter in a medium bowl. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, 1 TB sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper and whisk to combine. In another small bowl, whip the eggs with a fork and add 1/2 cup water and whisk. Add egg mixture to dry mixture and whisk to combine. Prepare two plates. On one put the other cup of flour for dipping and on the other put the stuffing for dipping.
Spray a flat rack that will fit on a sheet pan with cooking spray on top AND bottom. Place on the sheet pan. When chicken is done poaching, remove to a plate and let cool for a couple of minutes. Dip in the flour, then cover with the batter, then roll in the stuffing. Place on the rack and bake for 10 minutes at 450F. Turn down to 400F and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove with a spatula (carefully) and serve with mashed potatoes and red eye gravy (below).
Peel and dice potatoes. Place in a 2 quart saucepan and cover with water. Add 1 tsp salt. Bring to a boil. Strain in a colander when tender and put back in the pot. Add parmesan and mash. Add chicken stock, 1 tsp of black pepper and mash. Check for consistency. If they are too dry, add a little more stock. They will need a little more salt but not much. Salt to taste. I used about another 3/4 tsp.
In a frying pan add 2 cups chicken stock and 1 tsp espresso. Bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in Wondra flour (the top is designed for this) until you reach a gravy consistency. Add a little pepper. Depending on the sodium in your stock, you may wish to add a little salt. Mine didn’t need any. Serve over the fried chicken and mashed potatoes.
