Fried Chicken and Onion Rings

Yum! Buttermilk fried chicken and onion rings (with salad). That's what I had for dinner last night. I'm going to own it. I ate it so I have to fess up. It really was yummy.

Good thing I came in between 1500-1600 calories for the day :) Thanks to HungryGirl's recipes, we had a very yummy dinner that was healthy! So, here's a recipe review!

First, the Buttermilk Fried Chicken:

Ingredients:

1/3 cup reduced-fat buttermilk

1/8 tsp. paprika
12 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast tenders (about 10 pieces)

1/3 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)

1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs (like the kind by Progresso)

1 tbsp. dry onion soup mix
Optional: salt, to taste

Directions:In a large sealable container or plastic bag, combine buttermilk with paprika and mix well. Add chicken and coat completely. Seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet by spraying it with nonstick spray. Set aside.Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Pour crumbs into a large bowl. Add panko breadcrumbs and onion soup mix. If you like, add a dash or two of salt. Mix thoroughly. One at a time, remove each piece of chicken from container/bag, give it a shake (to get rid of excess buttermilk), coat it evenly with the crumb mixture, and lay it flat on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Flip carefully (tongs work well!), and then bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until outsides are crispy and chicken is cooked through. CRUNCH time!MAKES 2 SERVINGS

Serving Size: 1/2 of recipe, about 5 piecesCalories: 315
Fat: 5g
Sodium: 586mg
Carbs: 25.5g
Fiber: 5g
Sugars: 3g Protein: 43g POINTS® value 6*


I didn't have the soup mix on hand, so I just mixed in some onion and garlic powder into the breading. This was really yummy. Seriously yummy. Even my super picky children loved it! They requested it for their lunch boxes today. It's really filling too, with all the fiber. I didn't end up eating a whole serving.

Now for the onion rings!

Lord of the Onion Rings 2.0

Ingredients:
1 large onion
1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original)
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. onion powder, or more to taste
1/8 tsp. salt, or more to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.Slice the ends off the onion and remove its outer layer. Cut onion into 1/2-inch-wide slices, and separate into rings. Set aside.Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Season the crumbs with spices and transfer to a plate. Fill a small bowl with egg substitute. Prepare a baking sheet (or two, if you have a lot of rings) by spraying with nonstick spray. Set aside.Pop-Up Tip! For this next step, try using tongs or a fork to dip the rings into the egg substitute and cereal crumbs -- it'll keep your fingers from getting eggy & crumb-covered. (Don't pierce the rings with the fork; just balance them on it.)One at a time, dunk each ring in egg substitute, give it a shake to remove any excess, and then coat it in the seasoned crumbs. Evenly place rings on the baking sheet(s).Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, carefully flipping rings over about halfway through. Enjoy! MAKES 1 SERVING

PER SERVING (entire recipe): 155 calories, 1g fat, 515mg sodium, 41g carbs, 16g fiber, 7g sugars, 9g protein -- POINTS® value 2*

I didn't have egg beaters on hand, so I had to use real eggs, which I think may have messed these up. They were a tad disappointing. Onion rings are my FAV and I wanted a crispy, crunchy onion ring. These were not all that crispy, and the breading was a little dry. That being said, they were tasty and great for dunking in ketchup. I'll definitely make them again because they are a good swap to kill a craving and avoid eating the real things. Maybe they'll be better with egg beaters. My husband liked them, too.

Both recipes came from Hungrygirl.com, which is an amazing site! Her emails are great.