Oven-Fried Chicken

• 2 cups whole grain cereal flakes
• ½ cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 large package chicken legs or thighs, about 14 pieces
• 2 -3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Crush the cereal flakes in a pie plate or shallow bowl with your hand or in a plastic zipper bag using a rolling pin until the flakes are approximately ¼-inch size. Add breadcrumbs, salt, thyme, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper. Stir to mix well and set the mixture aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of a large roasting pan and set it aside. In a medium shallow bowl or pie plate, whip eggs and buttermilk together with a fork until well blended.

Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and turn it to coat all sides of the meat. Roll the meat in the crumb coating, sprinkling any uncoated areas with additional coating as needed. Place the chicken in the roasting pan. Bake 50 minutes, uncovered, or until the meat is done and the coating is brown and crisp.

Yield: 7 to 10 servings