Public Service Announcement for Lisa. The Chicken Recipe!

By popular demand - okay...only one person actually asked - here is the recipe for "Loon's Chicken".  I tend to cook by feel...so there's no need to follow the recipe to the letter.

Here's what you're going to need.

• Chicken.  With the skin on.  If you've got skinless chicken - you're just wasting everyone's time.  I typically use chicken thighs...but you can use drumsticks or breasts. 
• Breadcrumbs - you can make you're own if you're inspired...or you can be lazy and just buy them.  I'm lazy...or efficient - you decide.
• Corn Flakes.  Yes - that's right Corn Flakes.  Regular Corn Flakes.
• Bunch of spices and stuff.  I use the following.....I don't take actual measurements...but I'd say about a 1 teaspoon of each of the following:  garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, turmeric, salt, and pepper.  I might add in some hot pepper flakes if I'm in the mood.
• I also use a pinch of cumin and cinnamon.  You can use whatever floats your boat actually...depends on what you like.  I won't use curry (funkifies the whole house)....and there is no coriander in my house at all.  That stuff is just nasty.
• Oh....throw some parsley flakes in there too.  It doesn't do much for the taste of the chicken...but it makes it look pretty.  Presentation is good too!

Ok - got all that stuff Lisa?  Ready to get your chicken on?  Here we go:

Get a large bowl (preferably clean...depends on whether you like the people you're serving the chicken too).  Kurt's alright as I recall...so clean is probably the way to go.

• Dump in about 1 cup of Corn Flakes...and crush them up mortar and pistil style.  Don't turn them into dust...just make the Corn Flakes really, really small (like half the size of a Rice Crispy I suppose).  The ideal size is generally the same as you'd find in the last bowl of Corn Flakes - when some unthoughtful spouse has left just enough in the box as to qualify as not empty (and thus avoiding the trip downstairs to get another box).
• Dump in 1/2 cup of bread crumbs.
• Dump in all the other stuff
• Mix

Now the fun part (as if crushing Corn Flakes wasn't fun enough)!

• Take a piece of chicken and rinse it off....shake off excess water.  I suggest using a pair of tongs for this....but I'm sure you've already thought of that.  As much as I love to cook - I abhor touching raw meat.
• Throw said piece of chicken in the bowl....ensure the entire piece of chicken is covered with the spicy stuff.
• Do this as many times as there are pieces of chicken.
• If you have any of the mix left after all the pieces have been coated - sprinkle it over the pieces.  It adds to the crunchy texture we're going for here.

The key to getting this to turn out well is how you cook it.

I don't like my chicken cooking in all the fat that renders off as it cooks....so I place an elevated rack on the tray that I use.  Actually - I use some Ikea roasting pan and just use the rack that came with it.  Doesn't matter really what you use - just as long as the chicken is not marinating in the chicken fat.  I also line the tray with foil - the bottom of the tray is going to get really messy.  Using foil is going to save you lots of time.

Throw those bad boys into a preheated oven....generally about 375 for 60-70 minutes.  The last 5 minutes I crank up the broiler to high to ensure the skin is nice and crispy.

Voila!  Chicken worth stealing!  Bon appetit!

And the tie into how this particular posting relates to my son....well....now that the recipe is posted on the Internet.....he'll be sure to find it.....and make his own damn chicken!  :)