.fried chicken sandwich w/ jalapeno slaw.

I love burgers, but sometimes, I want something different.  This isn't necessarily lighter in calories, but it makes for a great alternative to throwing patties on the grill.  It works best if you have some kind of fryer to keep the grease mess minimal. (I have this one that I bought at Target.  It's awesome!)

JALAPENO SLAW
The first thing you want to do is make the jalapeno slaw.  I make this slaw all the time and everyone raves.  Don't let the name deceive you. It's not spicy at all, unless you want it to be.  What you get is a wonderful jalapeno flavor without much heat.  Here's what you need:

3-4 jalapeno, diced
1/2 head cabbage, finely sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
1 small onion (or 1/2 medium), grated
1 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
salt and pepper
celery seed

*For more heat, keep the seeds and ribbing on the jalapeno and add to your slaw.  If you want virtually no spice at all, remove the ribbing and seeds before dicing.

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.  Keep refrigerated.

The slaw can be made earlier in the day, or even the day before.  It holds up great for days.

FRIED CHICKEN
You can grill a chicken breast if you want to make this lighter, but there's something about a fried piece of meat on a bun with that slaw on top that knocks it out of the park.

In a bowl, mix together 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp garlic powder.  In another dish, scramble 2-3 eggs.  In a 3rd dish  mix together the same flour mixture we have in the first dish.  You could use the same dish for the flour if you want -- just double the ingredients.

Take 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts and coat well with the flour mixture.  Dip in the egg, then back into the flour.  Set on a cake cooling rack that's placed on a cookie sheet.  When you've coated all the breasts, put in the fridge and let set for an hour.  This is VITAL to getting a nice crispy crust when it's fried.  If you don't give it enough time to sit, you'll have a soggy crust.

Heat your oil to 350*F.  When the oil is ready, carefully put each breaded chicken breast in and fry for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oil and sit on paper towels to drain. 

To serve, I put on toasted hamburger buns and add a generous helping of the jalapeno slaw on top.  Serve with fries or salad or whatever you want with it.  I think I'm going to convert a few new fans.  Enjoy!