Gluten-free Southern Fried Chicken and Mashed "Potatoes"

One of the best things about living in the South is being constantly surrounded by all kinds of "soul food."  Fried chicken.  Fried catfish.  Hushpuppies.  Loaded mashed potatoes. Okra, collard greens, ham hock and green beans.  You get the picture.

Unfortunately, many of those foods are incredibly unhealthy and not suited to either a gluten-free or low-carb lifestyle (in other words, they're a heart attack on a plate).  The good thing is that at least some of them can be modified into healthier versions that satisfy both gluten-free and low-carb dieting.  This time, I'll show you how to make good Southern fried chicken and mashed "potatoes" made of cauliflower.

This Nom Needs:
Fried Chicken:
1 pound chicken, boneless, skinless (thighs or breasts or both)
1 cup raw pecans
1/2 cup raw almonds
2 tablespoons Montreal Steak seasoning
2 eggs
1/2 cup rice flour
2 tablespoons coconut oil
(this recipe requires a food processor or other instrument of crushing)

Mashed Cauliflower:
1 package frozen cauliflower
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp chives

For the chicken:  First, take cup of pecans and pour them into a food processor.

Next, take the 1/2 cup of almonds and pour them in on top of the pecans.

Process the nuts together until they form an crumb-like mixture.
Assemble three bowls. Pour the 1/2 cup of rice flour into the first bowl. In the second bowl, add the two eggs. Pour your nut mixture into the third bowl. Add the two tablespoons of Montreal steak seasoning to the nut mixture and stir until evenly mixed in.

Whisk the eggs in the second bowl until well-beaten.
Take each piece of chicken separately. First, place chicken piece in rice flour and roll to coat. Then dip each chicken piece into the egg mixture, taking care to ensure every bit of the chicken is covered in egg. Then roll the chicken in the nut mixture to firmly coat.


Place chicken in pan with coconut oil on medium low-heat. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the chicken, but usually it takes 5-6 minutes per side to cook.
Once the coating has browned and the chicken is cooked all the way through (no pink spots), you're done!


While the chicken is starting to cook, you can then work on your mashed cauliflower. I use frozen cauliflower rather than fresh because I find it makes the texture smoother in the end. Prepare the cauliflower in the microwave as directed on the package. While it's steaming, place the butter and cream in your trusty food processor (I don't know what I'd do without mine. Starve, probably).

Once the cauliflower is steamed, add it to the food processor and blend it. You may have to do it in "batches" depending on the size of your food processor. In the end it should resemble the consistency of creamed potatoes.

Remove the cauliflower from the food processor, and put it in a bowl. Add preferred seasonings and stir until well-mixed, then serve!

Servings: 4
Calories per serving: Using chicken breasts (and counting mashed cauliflower), approximately 500 calories; using chicken thighs, approximately 650 calories.
What Else You're Getting: Thiamin, vitamin B6, riboflavin, vitamin E, niacin, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese.
Tune in next time for a gluten-free (but not low-carb) strawberry-banana-coconut rum trifle! And for the Technorati entry, here's a code: DMXT9KUUEQUT