Counterfeit Chicken

Since my first attempts at modifying the KFC Original recipe were not entirely successful, I've been trying different tweaks and think I finally have a good end product.  To cut down on the fat and sodium I'm baking the chicken, reducing the salt, substituting Egg Beaters for eggs in the dredge, and eliminating the brining and the MSG.  To add some of the extra umame that the MSG provided in the original recipe, I increased the amounts of herbs and added a little thyme to the list that Todd Wilbur used.  Here's the result:

Faux Fried Chicken

Vegetable oil spray 
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground black pepper (preferably tellicherry)
1/2 tsp dried savory
1/2 tsp rubbed dried sage
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp onion powder (NOT onion salt)
1/8 tsp garlic powder (NOT garlic salt)
1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup whole wheat panko crumbs
1/2 cup Egg Beaters egg substitute
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and spray a rimmed cookie sheet or shallow baking pan with vegetable oil.  In a small bowl, mix the herbs and spices.  Use a mortar and pestle or spice grinder to pulverize the mixture.  Pour into a gallon sealable plastic bag; add the crumbs and shake until thoroughly blended.

Pour the Egg Beaters into a shallow pan.  Pat the chicken pieces dry.  Roll one piece of chicken in the Egg Beaters and then shake it in the bag of crumbs.  When it's coated with seasoned crumbs, place it on the prepared pan.  Repeat with the other pieces of chicken, one at a time.  Bake.

After 10 minutes, check to see whether the crumbs are getting too brown; if so, cover loosely with aluminum foil.  Continue to bake until an instant-read food thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken reads 165 degrees (the temperature will go up another 5 degrees or so after you take the chicken out of the oven); how long this will take depends on how large the pieces are, but start checking when they've been baking for 15 minutes.

Let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.


"What is sauce for the goose may be sauce for the gander but is not necessarily sauce for the chicken, the duck, the turkey or the guinea hen. " ~Alice B. Toklas