Name: Oven-Fried Chicken
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons dried thyme; 2 teaspoons dried oregano; 2 teaspoons dried basil; 2 teaspoons garlic powder; 2 teaspoons kosher salt; 2 teaspoons fresh black pepper; 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts; 2 cups plain nonfat yogurt; 2 cups Special K cereal, crushed with a rolling pin or in a food processor or coffee grinder; Nonstick cooking spray

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Neo Soul _by Lindsey Williams.

Exercising is probably the best thing you can do right now to get in better shape. Americans of all races tend to be less active than their grandparents were. The combination of fatty foods with little exercise equals the obesity epidemic we have today in the U.S.A. Fried chicken is such a central component of Southern cooking, but it's too high in fat to be part of a regular diet. Prepare it this way and you'll have all the flavor of fried chicken without all of the extra fat.

Recipe notes

Chicken Croquettes

Rather than breaded and fried as you might expect croquettes to be, these are something more akin to a seared chicken salad patty.

Rotisserie Chicken Congee

Leftover rotisserie chicken finds new purpose in this endlessly comforting dish.

Crispy Baked Wings With Berbere Honey Glaze and Fried Garlic

Berbere is a spicy chile blend that has floral and sweet notes from coriander and cardamom, and when it’s paired with a honey glaze, it sets these wings apart from anything else you’ve ever had.

Sofrito Bolognese

An ex-boyfriend’s mom—who emigrated from Colombia—made the best meat sauce—she would fry sofrito for the base and simply add cooked ground beef, sazón, and jarred tomato sauce. My version is a bit more bougie—it calls for caramelized tomato paste and white wine—but the result is just as good.

Slow-Smoked Chicken

An espresso-and-cumin-spiked rub (or brine) gives this smoked chicken impressive flavor.

Oven-Fried Shrimp

Kewpie Mayonnaise is the ultimate secret ingredient to creating a perfect oven-baked battered-and-fried crunch without a deep fryer.

Spice-Grilled Pork Chops

A pinch of sugar in the spice rub ensures picture-perfect grill marks with layers of flavor.

Southern Thai Fried Chicken (Gai Tod Hat Yai)

This is one of the best fried chickens ever. From southern Thailand, gai hat yai is known for its crispy skin, great aromatics, and super juicy meat.