This heart-friendly alternative to traditional fried chicken is spicy and easy to make. The ginger is a pleasant surprise for your taste buds.

Vegetable oil spray
4 cups wheat-flake or cornflake cereal, lightly crushed
1 medium garlic clove, crushed (optional)
1 teaspoon ground ginger, or to taste
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Pepper to taste
6 pieces skinless chicken with bone (about 2 1/4 pounds), all visible fat discarded
Vegetable oil spray, butter-flavored or original

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil spray.

In a pie pan or on a piece of aluminum foil, stir together the cereal and garlic.

In a small bowl, combine the ginger, paprika, salt if using, and pepper. Sprinkle the seasonings on both sides of each piece of chicken.

Roll the chicken in the cereal crumbs to coat. Lightly spray the chicken on all sides with vegetable oil spray and put on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown, tender and no longer pink in the center. (Timing will vary according to the thickness of the chicken pieces.)

Cook’s Tip on Skinning Poultry: You can dramatically reduce the amount of fat and cholesterol in poultry by throwing away the skin. Due to its slippery nature, however, poultry skin can be a challenge to remove. Hold the poultry piece on a flat surface (a plastic cutting board is recommended), grasp the skin with a double thickness of paper towels, and pull firmly. Discard the paper towels. Use a knife or kitchen scissors to trim any remaining visible fat.

Per Serving

This recipe is reprinted with permission from the American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook, Third Edition, Copyright © 2004 by the American Heart Association. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. Available from booksellers everywhere.