Oven "fried" Chicken with Leeks

It's well nigh impossible to recreate the crackly, crunchy ecstasy of deep-fried, breaded, skin-on and bone-in chicken without the use of massive oil and a bottle of Lipitor. But at Cafe Drake we recently tried a far healthier method employing the oven and skinless, boneless chicken thighs.

You will want to pound the thighs out a bit to create a "cutlet" of a somewhat even thickness. For 1-2 pounds of thighs, plan on mixing about a cup of seasoned breadcrumbs with 2 T. of oat bran or wheat germ. Place these dry ingredients in a bag and toss the chicken inside till all pieces are well-coated. Now place meat on an oiled baking sheet (1 large or 2 smaller) and sprinkle all with a good bit of salt and any other ground spices you may wish - coriander, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, cloves, turmeric and sage all work well.

Top chicken with finely sliced leeks; one large leek will do the job but be sure not to use any of the tough green parts (save those for making stock). Bake in a pre-heated, 375 degree oven for 25 minutes then turn chicken over. Turn the leeks on top as well so they do not blacken excessively. Cook for 20 more minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes then serve.

Cafe Drake had this delicious and easy poultry dish alongside toasted seeded pumpernickel rolls, kale with garlic (from Jen L.), pickled cucumbers (also courtesy of Jen) and homemade cranberry chutney (recipe below).


CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

This comes together so fast you won't believe it!

Place 1/2 bag of fresh cranberries in a saucepan with 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup of sugar, a drizzle of good honey, 1-2 T. rice wine vinegar, 1 T. ground ginger and 1 T. cayenne pepper. You should reduce the amount of spices if you prefer a milder chutney. Stirring well bring all to a boil and cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes maximum. 90% of the berries will burst and transform to the consistency of jam. Stir frequently then cool and serve.

Keeps fresh in fridge for quite awhile.