Johnnycake Chicken

American Dinner Recipes

1 lb. skinless boneless chicken breasts 3/4 c. flour 1/4 c. yellow cornmeal 1 Tbsp. sugar salt and pepper to taste 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, for frying

Weeknight Quick - Ready in 30 min. or less, depending on the thickness of your chicken. And on how many times the kids interrupt asking for snacks... Cut chicken to be of even thickness - cutting the thinner pieces to be their own piece and cutting the thick pieces to be two thin pieces. On a plate or in a ziplock bag, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and pepper. Add chicken to the bag and shake to coat the pieces, or toss the chicken in the flour mixture to coat the pieces if you're using a plate. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium to medium high heat, add chopped garlic. Once garlic starts to become fragrant, Add chicken pieces to skillet. Do not crowd the pan - make sure each piece of chicken has its own space. Now, go putter about the kitchen. The idea is to let these cook until the "done" creeps up around the sides a bit and the bottom will be golden brown (but if you keep checking every minute or two, the coating will fall off and what will be the point of getting your fingers all messy?). The coating is delicate, so the plan is to flip once and done. Flip chicken with a spatula or with tongs. Let cook until this side is golden brown. When it's done, both sides will be golden brown (if you've let them be enough) and the chicken will no longer be floppy when you grab it with the tongs. You can also check for done-ness with a knife to see if the center of the thickest bit is no longer pink. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes, and a nice green vegetable for a pretty plate. The kids really liked this - the little bit of cornmeal in the flour gives the coating a nice crunchiness and the thin pieces of chicken are enough like chicken nuggets that even the picky ones will try it.

Submitted by Gretchen Grant
Contributed on: Friday April 7th, 2006 and modified on Monday January 21st, 2008