Uncle Clarence’s Oven-Fried Chicken

Uncle Clarence deep-fried his popular chicken at my parents’ restaurant. Mom adapted it to an “oven-fried” version to capture the same flavors but with an easier and (marginally) healthier variation for home cooks. The key is to lightly glaze the top of the chicken with some kind of fat before it’s put into the oven. Mom used margarine; you can use butter or a mixture of equal parts olive oil and melted butter. I’m not talking a token drizzle; every inch of the top of the chicken should be moistened.

Mom says: “Sometimes I add cinnamon to the flour instead of sage or poultry seasoning, just for a little different flavor.” This works best with fresh paprika; if yours is vintage, use extra. You can use whatever pieces you want for this if you purchase precut chicken, but if your chicken includes extralarge breasts, cut each one (ribs and all) into two portions. This will make them appropriate serving sizes and assure they’ll cook more evenly.

Note: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon (15 ml) white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup (240 ml) milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes. No poultry seasoning? Check out the recipe for a salt-free homemade version on page 252.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

6 tablespoons (90 g) margarine or butter, melted

About 1¹/₂ cups (375 ml) buttermilk

1¹/₂ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons (10 g) coarse salt

1 teaspoon (5 g) ground black pepper

1 cup (125 g) crushed cornflakes

¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) poultry seasoning, or dried thyme and/or sage

One 3¹/₂-pound chicken, cut into 8 to 10 pieces (about 1.5 kg)

1 tablespoon (8 g) paprika, for dusting

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Using about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the margarine, coat the bottom of a roasting pan or a baking dish large enough to hold the chicken pieces in one layer without touching.

Place the buttermilk in a shallow bowl or dish. In another bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper, cornflakes, and poultry seasoning. Dip each chicken piece into the buttermilk. Shake off the excess and roll in the flour mixture to coat. Place the chicken pieces in the prepared roasting pan, skin side up.

Drizzle the rest of the margarine evenly over the chicken. Dust the chicken liberally with paprika. Put the roasting pan on the middle rack of the oven, uncovered.

Bake for about 1 hour, until the chicken is golden and cooked through. (Small pieces may be done at 45 minutes, so check.) To confirm, push an instant-read thermometer into a meaty section; it should register at least 165°F (74°C). Serve warm. Leftovers reheat nicely in a toaster oven.