I am a huge fan of baked chicken. It’s easy, delicious, and tender. All I have to do is pop it in the oven and go about my business. I don’t have to hover over a pot of boiling grease, it’s a pop in the oven and then poof, tasty dinner. As much as I advocate for baked chicken, even I admit that sometimes I miss that crispy factor. I used to think that I had to decide between either baked chicken or crispy chicken. If I baked my chicken, it would be moist but certainly not crispy on all sides. If I wanted crispy chicken, I would have to fry it, which I tend to do in limited amounts. All hope was lost, that is until I started baking with a wire rack and a sheet pan.
Baking your chicken on a wire rack prevents the chicken from cooking in its own juices and creating that soggy bottom. So not only is the top of the chicken crispy but so is the bottom. The sheet pan catches the juices and results in tender and crispy cuts of meat.
What is a wire rack? A wire rack or oven-safe cooling rack is a kitchen tool that can turn your oven into a large roasting rack. It allows the heat in the oven to circulate around the cut of meat completely for an even cook and crispy skins. Wire racks are great for wings, oven-fried foods, and toasty vegetables as well. Trust me, this kitchen apparatus is a game-changer.
Lately, I have been dry rub crazy. Anytime I can find a reason to blend a mix of spices and pat on thick cuts of meat, I am all over it. Not only do you get the flavor in every bite, but this simple recipe only requires meats and spices. No oil, no veggies, just mix, pat, and bake. Be sure to mix your spices well, like overly mixed. You don’t want to take a huge bite of seasoned salt or paprika that has not been mixed well, trust me on this.
I served this dish with cornbread dressing, garlic mashed potatoes, and cinnamon roasted carrots, YUM! This meal was enjoyed with a fruity rosé, but a nice bottle of dry chardonnay would’ve done this meal justice as well. What sides did you end up serving with this meal?!