Crushed chip chicken

Well if you are a fan of KFC chicken, I have a recipe that I reckon is just as good. It’s not a knock off version of KFC’s famous award-winning recipe or even close to how KFC actually cook their chicken. However, in my family home, we dub certain favourite meals, and this crushed chip chicken dish is known as, ‘Dad’s KFC chicken’. We named it this because when it comes out the oven it has a crispy coating, seasoned just right and juicy tender chicken meat inside. 

Normally ‘dads’ don’t know their way around the kitchen, but not my Dad. With some guidance from the women in his life (namely my grandmothers and mom), he has managed to perfect some stunning, down-to-earth, homely meals. This dish is just one of the many! The recipe my Dad uses was taught by my childhood nanny (who actually learnt this dish from my grandmother - my moms mom). Dad has added a few bits and bobs to the flavouring and has figured out how to make it so the crumbs don’t fall apart. So now he can officially call it one of his own. My Dad even worked out the ideal time to cook it, so you don’t get a dried out or soggy piece of chicken.

The beauty of this recipe is that the flavourings can change to your preference. It’s easy to adapt to your liking. If cooked to my Dad’s timing and instruction; you should have crispy golden and succulent pieces of chicken. It hardly takes a long time to prepare and cook. ‘Dads KFC chicken’ is a family winner, especially with fussy eaters at home.    


   

          

Ingredients:

Crushed chip chicken

4 Chicken breasts deboned (skin/skinless)

2 Medium eggs

2 tsp Harissa paste

1 tsp Soya sauce

1 tsp Aromat

1 tsp Robinson’s Steak and Chop spice

2 tsp Robinson’s Italian herbs

1 tsp Robinson’s Origanum

1 Large Pkt Spring onion and cheese Lays chips (or any type of potato crisps)

Vegetables:

1 Small Butternut (peeled and cubed)

6 Courgettes / Zucchini (washed and ends chopped)

Red and yellow peppers (washed and cubed)

3 Carrots (washed, halved and chopped)

Red and white onion (peeled and sliced)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 – 3 Tbsp Olive oil

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

The Chicken:

Crack both eggs into a bowl and mix in the harissa paste, soya sauce, aromat, steak and chop spice, Italian herbs and origanum. Crush the Lays chips into a separate bowl. Dunk the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, until covered and coated well. Immediately roll the egg chicken piece into the crushed chips bowl and coat as much of the chicken with chips. Let the chips soak in the egg. Spray some Spray and cook on a baking tray and place chicken pieces skin side up. Pop in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until cooked and golden brown. Let the chicken cook on one side throughout.

The roasted vegetables:

Chop the butternut, courgettes (zucchini), carrots, red and yellow peppers and slice red and white onion. Place in a medium to deep baking tray and season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Leave in the oven to cook together with the chicken for about the same time, or until your vegetables are cooked and slightly crunchy.

Extra tips:

If you do not have all the spices for this dish do not worry. Try just a plain version by mixing salt and pepper and Italian herbs with the eggs.

Avoid turning the chicken pieces in this dish; you will lose your chip coat along the way.    


Serves 4