Even Healthier Oven Fried Chicken

I decided to make a healthy "southern" dinner. Instead of friend chicken, or even oven fried chicken, I made one with Ak Mak crackers as the breading. Most people use Corn Flakes as the breading, but they really aren't that great for you. They're enriched, processed and have high-fructose corn syrup. I used Ak Mak crackers that are stone ground whole wheat/sesame combined with a few other things and the chicken rocked. As a side, I made creamed spinach with toasted pine nuts instead of the typical collard greens that are soaked in butter and bacon. Here's my recipe for the chicken: if anyone wants it

I never write down my recipes and I never measure anything, so this is how I remember it...

2 egg whites
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Entire box of Ak Mak stone ground crackers
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp dried rosemary
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp garlic powder
salt
pepper
¼ - ½ tsp cayenne pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Smart Balance Light
Maybe a pinch of Parmesan

Whisk the egg whites and Dijon mustard together until smooth. In a food processor (with steel blade attachment), place the broken Ak Mak crackers, thyme, rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, salt pepper and cayenne pepper. Process until you have medium breadcrumbs. Preheat oven to 400. Dredge a chicken breast in the egg mixture, coating well. Dredge in the breadcrumb mixture and turn it on all sides until it’s well covered. Continue this process with the remaining chicken pieces. Place the chicken on a foil lined (and sprayed) baking sheet. If you crumple the foil before placing over the baking sheet, it will ensure the chicken will be crispy on the bottom too. Bake for 5-7 minutes and then place 2 – 3 small bits of Smart Balance Light on the top and let melt, another 2 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue baking until cooked to an internal temperature of 170, then add a few more bits of Smart Balance Light to the side facing up and turn off the oven and let the butter melt. This will make the chicken juicy while it reaches an internal temperature of 180.

As far as the spinach goes, I used 2 boxes of frozen spinach and drained them. I pretty much made it the same way any creamed spinach recipe goes and used shallots, garlic, a pinch of nutmeg (you have to use nutmeg and you can't even taste it because the spinach won't taste right if you omit it) and instead of heavy cream, I used fat free half and half. I toasted a handful of pine nuts and I'm telling you, along with the chicken, it tasted DIVINE!

And look at the chicken, it only looks unhealthy!


Here are the fabulous crackers I'm talking about...

With dinner, we had Greek salads and tzatziki sauce. I go to actual Greeks and buy this from them once a week because they make it right.

I can't believe Max loves it so much. Proof that he is a true Greek! He dips pita in it and licks it off and repeats.