Recipe: Sheet Pan “Fried” Chicken & Fries
A fun twist on a soul food favorite, while being way healthier than KFC. Fried foods can be heavy, greasy, and salty. Try to mimic some of the south’s favorite flavors by switching up cooking technique and ingredients to give your plate a healthier balance.
Instead of frying chicken in a refined breading, the following recipe bakes chicken in wholesome almond meal, and pairs with non-starchy parsnip fries instead of the potato classic.
Looking to save time in the chicken, while keep the mess to a minimum? This recipe is for you! Check out the tip below!
Sheet Pan “Fried” Chicken & Fries
What you’ll need: At least 2 sheet pans & aluminum foil.
Ingredients for chicken:
- ~1.5 lbs of chicken thighs (~4-6 individual)
- 1 C almond meal
- 2 Tbsp paprika
- salt & pepper, to taste
Ingredients for fries:
- 1.5 lbs of parsnips, cleaned
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped
- salt & pepper, to taste
Directions:
- Line both sheet pans with aluminum foil; one is designated for chicken, the other for fries.
- Preheat oven to 400°F
- To prepare breading for chicken, mix almond meal and paprika together in small to medium sized bowl.
- One by one, place chicken in mixture to fully coat on both sides.
- Place coated chicken ~ 2 inches apart on lined baking sheet.
- To prepare parsnip fries, chop into fry size pieces (Try slicing parsnip in half, crosswise, then slicing 1-2 times lengthwise.)
- Place parsnip fries on separate baking sheet.
- Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle rosemary over fries and toss together with hands to coat parsnips. Add desired salt and pepper.
- Bake both trays for 30 minutes. Chicken coating should be slightly crispy and browned when done. For extra crunchy fries, remove chicken from oven and broil parsnips for 3-5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
Why we love sheet pan meals:
Cooking at home can sometimes be over-complicated and messy, which can deter prep of homemade meals. There’s no need to dirty up 500 dishes, pans, or ladles when playing chef.
Sheet pan meals allow you to throw your protein, starch, and vegetables in the oven for a set amount of time, etched in easily disposable aluminum foil, without sweating over the stovetop. Easy cleanup for you, with minimal footwork around the kitchen.
Take advantage of a hot oven! Keep meal prep simple, easy, and finger lickin’ good by utilizing sheet pans to cook multiple ingredients and dishes at once. Try your other favorite protein, starch, and vegetables combos on a sheet pan for a yummy and balanced plate!