Homemade Shake & Bake Chicken

I remember eating a lot of Shake & Bake chicken when I was growing up. And I remember loving it. Now that I am feeding my own family, I have never thought of buying a Shake & Bake mix for dinner but when I saw a homemade version in Bonnie Stern's "The Best of Heart Smart Cooking", I didn't hesitate. This recipe isn't glitzy, but it is good. And on a weekday night, that is what really counts.

This cookbook by Bonnie Stern is destined to be a true classic. It is right up there with my "Best of Canadian Living Cookbook" in terms of being full of consistent, flavourful recipes and having lots of Canadian content. The world needs more Canadian content, don't you think?!

The great thing about this recipe is it's flexibility. If you are having more people for dinner, just add more chicken. If you don't have any dry mustard, don't worry about it. Sometimes I put the minced garlic in the buttermilk or OJ, and sometimes I don't . I have used both the OJ and the milk, and depending on the amount of chicken, I sometimes add a bit more to cover the chicken.

Homemade Shake & Bake Chicken

3 chicken legs & 3 thighs, cut apart if not already separated
1/2 c. buttermilk or orange juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. dry bread crumbs (I have used Saltine cracker crumbs and also fresh bread crumbs. Whatever you have will work.)
2 T. cornmeal
1 T. paprika, use smoked paprika if have it
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. chili powder
1 t. salt
1 t. dry mustard
1 t. ground cumin

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and dry the chicken pieces and toss with the buttermilk (or OJ) and garlic. Marinate for at least 10 minutes.
2. While the chicken is marinating, combine all the dry ingredients in a large Ziploc bag.
3. Shake the excess liquid off the chicken and add it one piece at a time to the plastic bag. Shake until completely coated and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until cooked through, brown and crisp. Serves two adults and two kids with leftovers - sometimes.