Did Barefoot Contessa Really Pan Fry Her Oven-Fried Chicken?
Yes, she did and I’m speechless.
Recently, I found a recipe for oven-fried chicken by celebrity chef, Ina Garten, a.k.a Barefoot Contessa (BC). The recipe left me baffled, scratching my head in confusion.
Celebrity chefs are quite a unique bunch. They sit high up on the culinary pedestal, teaching us regular folks how to cook. Their cooking blunders, at times, show they’re out of touch. The BC’s oven-fried chicken recipe is one of those times, where I’m left speechless.
I must admit that some celebrity chefs’ recipes are just plain whack!
Now, I’ve made oven-fried chicken for my family on many occasions. I chose to oven-fry the chicken to make it healthier and reduce the amount of oil needed for frying. It’s well-documented that excessive fried food consumption can lead to adverse health risks. Baking food beats frying for a few reasons. It uses less oil, lowering calories and fat. Excess fat drains when baking but gets absorbed when frying. Baking retains more nutrients, making meals healthier.
Perhaps I’m asking a lot from celebrity chefs, the real cooking pros. After a hard day at work, frying chicken in hot oil to get crispy skin seems like a hassle. You can oven-fry it instead, save time, and get the same crispiness. Plus, it’s healthier for you. The key to getting crispy skin when oven-frying is making sure the chicken pieces are fully coated in oil.
Let’s not overlook the cleanup from frying: grease splatter and disposing of oil. When I’m done oven-frying, I only need to dispose of the aluminum foil that lined the baking sheet. But, hey I’m not the expert…only a home chef with limited time and a desire to cook healthy meals.
Yeah, yeah, yeah…I hear you! BC may have wanted a crispier chicken skin from frying in hot oil. That’s quite possible! But, why say it’s oven-fried? BC just fried chicken and then baked it in the oven — it’s sort of deceptive.
If you’ve got the time to soak the chicken in buttermilk all night, fry the chicken in hot oil and then bake in the oven — go for it! I prefer oven-frying for a healthier, less messy choice.
