Baked Chicken 

Growing up my Grandmother made a mouth-watering comfort food, baked chicken.  She was not concerned of the fat and calorie content.  My Grandparents were farmers and they worked hard physically every day.  They lived to be in their 90’s.  With this said, they had an array of high calorie and fat in their foods and they were not affected with diabetes and high blood pressure.   This is not exactly how my Grandmother baked her chicken.  This recipe is cut back in fat and calories but there is a lot to love as well.  Enjoy, remember we are going to have some fun!

Purchase a package of 4 chicken breast with rib bone and skin.  Yes skin, something we are not encouraged in using these days.  My grandmother never skinned or deboned her chicken and her chicken was busting out with flavor.

Rinse the chicken well and trim off any excess fat.  I bet, my Grandmother never trimmed the fat from her chickens.  She raised her free range chicken for eggs and the meat for her freezer. 

Sprinkle generously Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, Pepper and Granulated Garlic.  In a shallow pie plate with about a 1 cup of flour dredge (Add flour if needed) each piece of chicken and place in an iron skillet which has heated with 1/3 cup of olive oil and brown the chicken on both sides.  Now this is where my Grandmother would add about 2 sticks of her homemade butter and bake the chicken until cooked.  My Grandmothers chicken was moist and delicious.  So I decrease the fat and do not add the butter. 

 

Bake the chicken in the iron skillet in a 350 degree oven for one hour and 30 minutes.  Add about ¼ cup of water in order to make sure there is moisture for the chicken not to burn and stick.  Cover the chicken lightly with foil and the last 30 minutes skin sides up bake uncovered at 375 degrees.

Make a gravy with the drippings left in the iron skillet and serve with mashed potatoes, salad and do not forget that wine!  Family gatherings always included this chicken recipe.  I miss her, but I will never forget this recipe! My grandparents did not understand that us city folk were suffering from high blood pressure.  My grandparents said the stress of city life was the cause of high blood pressure and high pretention.  I think the ole folk are a lot smarter then we are!