Oven "Fried" Firecracker Chicken

Growing up my Mom used to make the best fried chicken ever.  I was constantly requesting it.  Now, as an adult, I still love fried chicken but try my best not to eat too much "fried".  So when I found this recipe for Firecracker Fried Chicken I knew I'd immediately fall for the fried drumstick all over again.   And I was right.  The first few times I made it exactly as the recipe dictated but then I thought I'd experiment with an oven version to avoid the whole frying in oil thing.  It only took a couple of times of figuring a good oven temp and we had success.  I have to admit the fry is always going to be the absolute best but this lends itself to a very yummy oven version too.

OVEN "FRIED" FIRECRACKER CHICKEN
serves 4-5

8 - 10 chicken drumsticks
1/4 cup hot pepper sauce  such as Louisanna Hot Sauce

1/3 cup flour
2 Tbsp. corn meal
1/2 tsp. salt

1 - 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

At least one hour before cooking and up to 24 hours before, remove the skin from the chicken.  Place drumsticks and hot sauce into a resealable plastic bag or into a glass baking dish with a cover.  Refridgerate and let marinade,  squishing around in the bag or stirring in the dish every once in a while.  The longer it marinades the spicier the chicken will be.

Just before cooking preheat your oven to 400*F.   Prepare the coating by mixing the flour, corn meal and salt in bowl or another plastic bag. Starting with 1 Tbsp., spread the oil onto a baking sheet adding just enough more to get it evenly spread over the sheet.

Add chicken to coating a couple at a time and cover with the coating in the bowl or shake in the bag.  Place on baking sheet.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes until juices run clear.  Remove with spatula to avoid the coating pulling off the chicken.

This post is linked up with Cooking Thursday hosted by Diary of a Stay at Home Mom