The Unorthodox Fried Chicken Recipe KFC Doesn't Want You to Know

I'm pretty sure there's nothing better than fried chicken. That crispy coating coupled with tender, juicy chicken is heavenly. A good fried chicken recipe is like feeding the soul, but a great fried chicken recipe really is soul food. I'm used to greasy deep-fried chicken, so I was a little skeptical when I came across this recipe for oven-fried chicken, but this Tried and True Oven-Fried Chicken recipe makes the best fried chicken I have ever eaten. And that's the truth. Because it's actually baked, not fried, I don't feel as guilty when I eat an extra piece... or two. This is an easy, tried and true chicken recipe you're going to want to try for yourself!

While chicken fritters (a batter or breading filled with bits of chicken) have existed in Europe since the middle ages, it was the Scottish immigrants that settled in the southern United States who brought with them the tradition of deep-frying chicken in fat while their English counterparts tended to either bake or boil the chicken. Once it was introduced to the southern states, deep-fried chicken quickly became a common staple. It was the African slaves brought to work on plantations who became cooks and first incorporated spices and other seasonings absent in traditional Scottish cuisine. Before chicken production was industrialized and boiler breeds of chicken were created, only young 'spring' chickens were suitable for high heat and fast-fry cooking methods, which made fried chicken a luxury of spring and summer. While there are now many variants of fried chicken recipes, including buffalo wings, chicken fingers, chicken fries and chicken nuggets, none come close to a Tried and True Oven-Fried Chicken recipe.

While this Tried and True Oven-Fried Chicken recipe can be found on Mary's 'Sweet Little Bluebird' food and craft blog, this is actually an oven-fried chicken recipe developed by Ina Garten of popular cooking show Barefoot Contessa. Ina went from working in the White House Office of Management and Budget in 1878 to owning her own specialty food store and in 2002, she started her cooking show, Barefoot Contessa (which shared the same name as her store). She has written numerous cookbooks, sharing hundreds of recipes, and let me tell you � this woman knows how to cook!

So how do you cook up a delicious Tried and True Oven-Fried Chicken recipe? It turns out it's pretty simple. To start, marinate your chicken in buttermilk � the longer the better, so if you can do this the day before you're going to cook the most delicious oven-fried chicken recipe you've ever tasted, great! After marinating, flour and lightly fry chicken in a pan until it starts to turn a golden brown, then pop them onto a baking tray and into the oven so they can finish 'frying' the rest of the way. That's just four steps. It doesn't get much simpler than that!

One thing I forgot to mention about this fried chicken recipe is that you want to flavor your flour with salt and pepper. I sometimes throw in a bit of garlic and/or onion powder for an extra flavor profile, but you can add any of your favorite seasonings. Also, this recipe calls for two whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces. You don't have to pay attention to this. Choose your chicken based on your own personal favorites. I don't like wings, so I bought individual packs of bone-in breasts, thighs and drumsticks.

Trust me when I say this will be the most delicious fried chicken recipe you've ever tasted, never mind the fact it's actually oven cooked and much healthier without all of that added grease from a deep fryer. Your chicken will turn out crispy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside, the way a perfect fried chicken recipe should turn out! I don't know about you, but I think I feel like chicken tonight...