Oven Fried Onion Rings

I can tell you where all the best onion rings are served.  I can tell you which ones are too greasy, too thick, too thin, too crumbly.  Everything.  I know onion rings. I love onion rings. 

I think I had made homemade onion rings many, many years ago from a packet of breading and was completely unimpressed. 

I've also had my share of frozen onion rights, some are okay, some are barely edible.

So I found this recipe for baked onion rings.  The breading sounded different than ones I've tried in the past. I knew they wouldn't be the same as deep fried onion rings but hey, I'm trying to eat a little healthy here, right? 

 

This wasn't an unbelievably healthy breading but I figured it would be a tasty breading.  It was.

I loved these!

One thing that is deceptive is how many onion rings you get from one large onion.  I thought,

"Only one onion?  That can't be right!".

Oh yes, it can. We didn't even use all of it. 

That might have been also because I had a hard time with the breading. The first pan of onion rings worked perfectly.  But by the time my breading got gooey with the wet mixture, it wouldn't stick to anything.  

I looked up the source of this recipe and it turns out she made some adjustments and she throws her crumbs in the food processor and makes them finer so they stick better and she no longer has the issue with it turning to goop.   I haven't tried this method but I certainly will next time. 

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Oven Fried Onion Ring Recipe
Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

1 - 2 large yellow onions, sliced into rings, save small pieces for something else.
1/2 cup flour, divided
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
Dash of chili powder
Dash of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 sleeve of saltine crackers (about 30), crushed
3 - 4 cups kettle cooked potato chips, crushed
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450.  Drizzle a couple of tbsp. olive oil on baking pans.  Bake for about 8 minutes or until oil is HOT but not smoking. 

While the baking sheets are in the oven prepare 3 bowls. 

Bowl 1: 1/4 cup flour.
Bowl 2: Egg, milk, 1/4 cup flour and spices.
Bowl 3: crushed potato chips and crushed saltines. 

Dip onion rings into bowl 1, then bowl 2, then bowl 3.  Set aside on a plate while waiting for your pans to heat in oven.  Repeat with each piece of onion. 

Remove baking sheets from the oven and tip to coat evenly with oil.  Place the onions on the hot baking sheets and bake for about 15 minutes at 450, flipping halfway.  Serve immediately.

I didn't get a calorie count on these. I also didn't use all the ingredients in my bowls as my crumbs got goopy and I had to throw a lot away. 

She recommends that you process the crumb mixture in a food processor so they are finer and will stick better and hopefully won't get goopy.  I have yet to try this but it sounds like good advice!

More side dishes!

Sweet Potato Fries

Carrots with Maple Balsamic Browned Butter

Cheesy Butternut Squash Bake

This is linked with:
Tasty Traditions at Coupon Cookin'
Cooking Thursday at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
Things I Love Thursday at The Diaper Diaries
Recipe Swap at Prairie Story
What's Cookin' in the Kitchen at Katie's Cucina