CHICK-FIL-A: CHICKEN BISCUIT

SAVE: 104 CALORIES, 11 G FAT, 0.5 G SAT. FAT

Of all of the fast food restaurants I visited, Chick-fil-A and Burger King jumped out as polar opposites. Burger King’s food is almost always the exact same size—even each onion ring within each order is virtually identical. Chick-fil-A, on the other hand, was hard to predict. No two Chick-n-Strips among a number of orders were uniform, and no two chicken fillets within a Chicken Biscuit were the same. The upside to that, though, is that this sandwich is very easy to make. Simply grab any 2-ounce piece of chicken and pound it until it’s about a half-inch thick . . . or a bit thicker . . . or a bit thinner. Chances are, no matter what you do, somewhere across America, someone will be eating a similar sandwich prepared by Chick-fil-A.

2 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 teaspoon unbleached or all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1⁄8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1⁄8 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of garlic powder

Pinch of onion powder

Pinch of cayenne

Olive oil spray

1 egg white

1½ teaspoons fat-free milk

2½ teaspoons dry bread crumbs

1 warm Chick-fil-A Biscuit

1 teaspoon light butter spread, divided

PLACE the chicken on a cutting board. Cover with a sheet of waxed paper. With the smooth side of a meat mallet, pound to an even ½" thickness.

In a small resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, sugar, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Shake to mix well. Add the chicken. Shake to completely coat the chicken with the flour mixture. Place in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with oil spray. Set aside.

In a small shallow bowl, combine the egg white and milk. Beat lightly with a fork until smooth. Place the bread crumbs on a sheet of waxed paper set next to the bowl.

Dip the chicken into the egg-white mixture, being sure to coat completely. Allow any excess egg-white mixture to drip off. Dip into the bread crumbs to coat completely. Place on the reserved baking sheet. Lightly mist with oil spray.

Bake for 5 minutes. Carefully flip the chicken. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the breading is crisp and the chicken is no longer pink inside.

Cut the biscuit in half. Place on a plate. Spread the inside of each half with ½ teaspoon butter spread. Place the chicken on the biscuit bottom. Cover with the biscuit top.

MAKES 1 SERVING

316 calories, 22 g protein, 38 g carbohydrates, 8 g fat, 4 g sat. fat, 1 g fiber

Original Chick-fil-A Chicken Biscuit: 420 calories, 18 g protein, 44 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat, 4.5 g sat. fat, 2 g fiber