Oven Fried Chicken

This is one of my favorite recipes. When Bruce and I got married, I knew he was used to FRIED chicken, FRIED pork chops, FRIED taters, FRIED okra....you get the idea. Well, I did a lot of cooking for my Mother when I lived at home and most every meat I cooked was baked so fried food was not a specialty of mine. LOL I tried learning from his Mother, but just did not have her knack for it. THEN! My sister-in-law, Cindy, bought me a cookbook for Christmas one year called Best Recipes From the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans, and Jars. I found this recipe for Oven Fried Chicken and it comes out perfect every single time. You can alter it in several different ways. Bruce loves it and really does not know if it's pan fried or oven fried. He just knows it's fried. Yes, it's cheating! LOL

1 Tbs margarine or butter
2/3 cups Bisquick Baking Mix
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/4 tsps salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 lb briler-fryer chicken, cut up.

Heat oven to 425*. Heat margarine in rectangular pan, 13X9X2, until melted.
Mix baking mix, paprika, salt and pepper; coat chicken.
Place chicken, skin side down, in pan.
Bake uncovered 35 minutes. Turn; bake until done, about 15 minutes longer.

Here are some variations to the flavor:
Italian Coating: Add 1 Tbs Italian seasoning and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.

Mexican Coating: Decrease baking mix to 1/2 cup. Add 2 TBS cornmeal and 1 to 2 TBS chili powder.

Parmesan Coating: Decrease baking mix to 1/3 cup and salt to 1 tsp. Add 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Sesame-Herb Coating: Decrease salt to 1 tsp. Add 2 TBS sesame seed and 2 tsps each dried thyme leaves, ground sage, and parsley flakes.