Girly Fried Chicken

My fried chicken isn't the stuff of hearty men. Manly fried chicken is the bone-in kind: soaked in buttermilk, dusted with flour and fried in a cast iron skillet in all its swarthy greasiness. I adore that kind of chicken, but that's not MY fried chicken.

My fried chicken has a dainty side. I use boneless skinless breast halves and pound them to about 1/2 inch thick. Then I quarter those pieces, salt and coat them in flour/egg/breadcrumbs(homemade) I fry them in just about 1/2 inch of canola oil. They'll cook quickly because they're thin. But still you must be careful not to get the oil too hot or they'll brown too fast. Cook them to about 165*. After being thoroughly cooled, these chicken nuggets freeze well in a container with layers separated by wax paper.

They're great for kids but adults enjoy them too. I like them to serve them in girl-y ways: like with a dipping sauce or sliced on a salad. This salad below is made with pineapple, tomato, green onions and red pepper and is dressed with a lime cilantro vinaigrette. I added tortilla strips too, but after I took the photo. - A nod to a favorite Chili's salad.