Easy Fiesta-Fried Chicken: Minus The Frying!

This isn’t your everyday chicken! It is very flavorful. Fiesta is in the name but I promise those of you who fear spice that it won’t be  too spicy or  too tangy. It is just right. The flavor is mild and delicious. Baked in the oven, it couldn’t be easier.  Those enjoying it with you will think it is fried. It isn’t! I don’t usually use prepackaged spice or sauce mixes, but here I do. The chicken is soaked in almond or coconut milk which is so easy to come by now that markets carry those handy little, single-serve boxes of each. This recipe is all about speed and convenience. Toss your seasoning, milk, and chicken in the fridge overnight or before you go to work in the morning and make dinner prep easy. It works! There is a bit of cornstarch mixed into the flour that helps make a really crispy and crunchy breading. The result is a flavorful, crispy chicken. It is good right out of the oven, room temp, or cold. Serve it with Spanish rice or a creamy coleslaw and your meal will be sure to be a hit. Delicious!

1 package Fiesta Ranch dressing mix

1 11-ounce box original almond or coconut milk

8 chicken thighs, or legs, or combination of the two

1/2-cup butter or margarine

¼ cup canola or peanut oil

¾ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

1-teaspoon black pepper

1-tablespoon dried parsley

1-teaspoon garlic salt

Place chicken pieces in dish or zip-lock bag. Add the dressing mix and milk. Stir and refrigerate 1 hour or more. Do this before you go to work in the morning for a delicious dinner at home after work! Mix the flour and cornstarch with the spices in a bowl. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Add oil and margarine or butter to baking dish. Place in oven to melt. Once melted, dredge each piece of chicken in the flour and cornstarch mix. Pat to coat.  Lay each piece in baking dish with oil and margarine so they are not touching. Bake 30 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 20 minutes.

At this point I like to turn off the oven. Remove the chicken from the pan and set on a cookie sheet. Place back in oven 3 – 5 minutes. So good!