Baked ‘Southern Fried’ Buttermilk Chicken with Rainbow Slaw and Blackened Corn

Baked ‘Southern Fried’ Buttermilk Chicken with Rainbow Slaw and Blackened Corn

There’s much more to this Buttermilk Chicken with Slaw & Corn than meets the eye. Healthier than fried chicken for a start, then meaty chicken cutlets get a double dose of spice – from a buttermilk marinade and a crisp polenta coating. Cooling slaw with crunchy pecans and blackened, spiced corn on the cob are ideal sides.

Serves: 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes plus one hour marinating
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

½ cup (125ml) buttermilk
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 (800g) chicken thighs, on the bone
2/3 cup (110g) polenta

Spice mix
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried mustard powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper

Blackened corn
20g butter, melted
4 ears corn, leaves and silk removed

Rainbow slaw
½ cup pecan halves, sliced
¼ small red cabbage, shredded
1 small carrot, grated
4 radishes, cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 cup (250mls) buttermilk
2 tablespoons (40mls) white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon (20mls) maple syrup

Method

1. For Spice mix, combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Divide into thirds – there will be 2 teaspoons in each third.
2. Combine ½ cup buttermilk, garlic and one third of the spice mix in a large bowl. Add chicken thighs, mix well, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
3. Pre-heat oven to 200?C (180?C fan-forced).
4. Combine polenta with one third of spice mix. Drain chicken from marinade and toss in seasoned polenta. Place on a lined baking tray and bake for 45 minutes or until golden and cooked through.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the Blackened corn by combining remaining one third of spice mix with melted butter. Place the corn on a lined baking tray and brush well with spiced butter. After the chicken has been in the oven for 15 minutes, add the corn which needs to cook for 30 minutes. Baste corn from time to time with remaining spiced butter mixture. Remove chicken and corn from oven and cover chicken loosely with foil and set aside to rest. Pre-heat grill to medium high and quickly grill the cooked corn for two to three minutes, turning frequently, until beginning to blacken.
6. For Rainbow slaw, toast the pecans in the oven with chicken for 5 minutes or until fragrant. Combine red cabbage, carrot, radishes and chives in a large bowl. Add cooled pecans. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk with white wine vinegar and maple syrup and season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour buttermilk mixture over slaw and toss well.
7. Serve chicken with Rainbow slaw and Blackened corn.

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Chicken, Chorizo and Lemon Tray Bake
Miso-glazed Chicken Skewers