No Ordinary Fried Chicken

A number of my posting are written in advance – sometimes weeks in advance. I create my actual menus each week for our family around things I need to research or photograph for the blog. Today is National Fried Chicken Day. Now I bring that up because this isn’t the recipe I had intended to share.

We’ll be taking to the road soon for that annual vacation. Since having access to the internet may be spotty and cooking is out of the question, I’ve been pushing through to get as much as possible scheduled before we leave. So today was supposed to be all about breakfast and a craving for Fried Eggs. Hey, at least I had the “fried” part right.

I had forgotten that today is National Fried Chicken Day. When pulling together the menu for the week, the only thing on my mind was Tijuana Tuesday. Something spicy, some margaritas, warm tortillas – you get the idea. Then I realized I could accomplish both – hold true to our family tradition of Tijuana Tuesday and celebrate Fried Chicken Day complete with all the fixings. Besides, it was another great reason to break out my latest kitchen find – a cast iron wedge pan. Okay, so the chicken isn’t actually fried, but it’s certainly in the spirit of Fried Chicken. Enjoy!

Mexican Fried Chicken Supper
Mexican Fried Chicken
Wedge Skillet Jalapeno Cornbread
Spicy Mexican Pinto Beans
Warm Flour Tortillas

Mexican Oven Fried Chicken
2 large boneless Chicken Breast
1 cup Panko Breadcrumbs
1/2 tablespoon Mexican Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
1/4 teaspoon Salt
Cooking Spray as needed
Hot Salsa for dipping

Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the panko, Chili Powder, Cumin, Red Pepper Flakes and salt in a shallow dish.

Remove any fat from the chicken breasts. Pull the tenderloin away from the underside of breast; set aside. Gently pound remaining breasts to uniform thickness. Slice breast into 4 one-inch strips. Spray each strip with nonstick cooking spray, then dip into the bread crumbs to coat the entire surface. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through

Pour salsa into a serving bowl. Arrange chicken tenders on a serving platter. Serve with salsa to use as desired.

Cast Iron Wedge Skillet Jalapeño Cornbread
Pan Preparation
1 tablespoon Butter, melted
3 tablespoons Yellow Cornmeal

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt 1 tablespoons of butter. Brush the cast iron wedge pan with butter, sprinkle with cornmeal. Tilt pan to coat the cornmeal all around, tap out excess.

Place wedge pan into the oven to heat.

Jalapeño Cornbread
2 Jalapeño Peppers
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 cup Yellow Cornmeal
1/8 cup Sugar
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 cup Milk
1 beaten Egg
1/8 cup Vegetable Oil
Splash Vanilla Extract

Remove stems from the jalapeño peppers. Using a small cheese grater, grate 1 pepper into a bowl, catching all the seeds and juices. Finely dice remaining pepper for more visible pieces, add to the bowl and set aside.

Using the smallest holes in a cheese grater, finely grate Cheddar Cheese. Set aside until ready to use.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder together in a bowl. Work Cheddar cheese into dry ingredients until coated.

In another bowl, beat egg, vegetable oil, jalapeño peppers, and vanilla extract together until well mixed. Add the milk and stir to blend.

Make a well in the Cheddar Cheese mixture and pour egg mixture into the well; stir just until combined. Batter should be slightly lumpy.

Carefully remove hot wedge skillet from the oven. Fill each mold 3/4 of the way with batter. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and edges are crispy.

Spicy Mexican Pinto Beans
2 cans Mexican Pinto Beans in Chili Sauce
2 tablespoons Taco Seasoning
1 Jalapeño Pepper
Dash Ghost Pepper Sauce

Pour beans into a saucepan including their spiced juices. Add seasoning and stir to blend. Finely mince the jalapeño pepper, add to the beans.

Heat over low heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Once the beans have heated through, taste. If more spice is desire, add a little Ghost Pepper Sauce.