Low-calorie, low-fat chicken fried in the oven

If you love fried chicken but not the fat or calories, then this is the recipe for you. In this take on a traditional fried chicken recipe, buttermilk lends a rich flavour while the cornflakes add a crispy crust to these healthy, oven-fried chicken pieces.

This recipe was developed with both skinless and skin-on chicken. Both versions have their fans, so this recipe calls for lower-calorie skinless chicken. If you prefer skin-on chicken, add 140 calories, 17 grams of fat (five grams of saturated fat) and 14 milligrams cholesterol per serving.

Preparation time: 15 minutes plus three hours for marinating
Baking time: 35 minutes
Serves: 6

• 375 ml (1 1/2 c.) low-fat buttermilk
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 g (1 tsp.) dried thyme, divided
• 4 g (1 tsp.) paprika, divided
• 2 g (1/2 tsp.) salt, divided
• 2 g (1/2 tsp.) ground black pepper, divided
• 1.75 kg (3 1/2 lb.) skinless, bone-in chicken drumsticks, thighs and/or breast halves
• 125 g (1 c.) cornflake crumbs
• 50 g (1/2 c.) all-purpose flour
• 50 g (1/2 c.) grated Parmesan cheese
• Cooking spray

1. Combine the buttermilk, garlic, two grams (1/2 tsp.) of the thyme, two grams (1/2 tsp.) of the paprika, one gram (1/4 tsp.) of the salt and one gram (1/4 tsp.) of the pepper in a 7.5-litre (2 gallon) zipped bag or 2 smaller bags.
2. Add the chicken and massage to coat with the liquid. Press out the air, seal the bag and refrigerate for three to four hours.
3. Remove the bag from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
4. Combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, Parmesan, remaining two grams (1/2 tsp.) thyme, two grams (1/2 tsp.) paprika, one gram (1/4 tsp.) salt and one gram (1/4 tsp.) pepper in a wide shallow bowl.
5. Using tongs, remove the chicken pieces from the marinade one by one and dip them in the cornflake mixture to coat completely. Transfer to a rack and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and arrange the chicken on the baking sheet. Coat the chicken with spray and bake for 20 minutes.
7. Turn the chicken over, coat with spray and bake until the chicken is crisp, golden and registers 75°C (165°F) in the thickest portion, 10 to 15 minutes more.

To reduce the amount of cholesterol and sodium in this dish even further, omit the cheese entirely.

Nutritional information
Per serving there are 372 calories; 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat); 25 g carbs; 49 g protein; 1 g fibre; 144 mg cholesterol, 617 mg sodium and 176 mg calcium.