Gahhhhhhh! Few things make me more giddy than a lightened up version of a traditionally calorie-laden classic. Particularly (especially) when they taste as good if not better than the original less-than-healthy version. And that is exactly why I’m so darn excited to present you with these baked onion rings. Just look at them and all of that golden crispy perfection. (If you have an iPhone or similar device with emoticons, please imagine the little yellow smiley face with hearts in place of eyes…. yeah that’s me.) So what’s the secret to these perfect onion rings without all the fat and calories of the typical Burger King order? Nothing. No secret needed. We are talking about big fat rings of yellow onion, tossed in a seasoned flour mixture, then dipped in a simple egg wash, and lastly dredged in panko breadcrumbs. Technically, yes, you can use regular bread crumbs but I highly recommend (read: beg of you!) that you use panko breadcrumbs because I think they yield a crispy onion shell that more closely resembles authentic fried onion rings. I guess if I had to say there was a secret to these, it would be the chili powder. You must add the chili powder to the flour mixture. It doesn’t make your onion rings spicy, (which for me, is a bit of a disappointment, but for those of you who aren’t spicy-food-fans this is a good thing) but it adds a bit of flavor you definitely do not want to miss. The only question is…. What favorite sauce will you be dipping these beauties in??
