It's only occurred to me recently that all the fried foods I love can be oven-baked. Like, there's this whole healthy twist that your fryers don't want you to know: not everything has to be deep-fried in fat. Instead, there is this option to use your oven. The results aren't always perfect, but I'll take the imperfections and healthiness over fatty unhealthiness any day!
So I've done this with Sweet Potato Fries as well as Pickle Chips. Sometimes I make these as an after-dinner snack, and it hits the spot! The last time I was oven-baking Pickle Chips, I realized I could probably make Onion Rings in the oven as well. I knew they wouldn't be AS crispy as the ones in the fast food chains, but I figured they'd be just as tasty.
And. I. Was. RIGHT.
Last night, as an Election Night snack, I threw some things together and I really liked the outcome. The taste was reminiscent of onion rings a la Burger King. Yum Yum!
The process is easy enough - I've laid it out in the recipe below:
- 1 medium onion, chopped and separated into 1/4-inch thick rings
- 1-2 cups of skim milk
- 1/2 cup of Fat Free Sour Cream
- 1 packet of Ranch Dressing Mix (I made my own)
- 1-2 cups of Seasoned Panko Bread Crumbs
1) Place the onion rings in a large bowl and pour enough skim milk in to cover. Cover and refrigerator for at least 1 hour (I had them in the fridge for about 2).
2) Make a breading station in this order:
bowl of ranch dressing mix ---> bowl of sour cream --> bowl of Panko.
3) One by one, take the onion rings from the milk, dredge them in the ranch dressing, then sour cream, then Panko, making sure to completely cover the ring with as much Panko as possible for best results.
4) Place on a baking sheet covered in tin foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.
5) Broil on high for 8-10 minutes, turning halfway through. Keep an eye on the rings. If they begin to darken quickly, flip them. Yours may be done on the early side, depending on your oven. The better breaded they are, the more they will crisp up.
6) ENJOY!
The dredging part can be messy, but embrace it. The end result is worth it. I suggest serving with ketchup or a horseradish sauce. Nom nom!
I'd really love to hear how these turn out for you - so please stop by and leave a comment telling me all about it!
