We know he’s the king of ‘cue, but give your favorite dad a break from the fire – surprise him with a Father’s Day away from the manly rituals of the grill.

This delish oven-fried chicken is the center of a hearty picnic you can pack up the night before. Beat the heat, head out early to the beach or a shady park and reconnect.  

Add an easy starter like chips and salsa, carb-loading macaroni salad on the side, and brownies (you can bake while the oven is on).  Ice down drinks for a hot summer day and you’ve got satisfaction all packed up and ready to roll.  

Come Sunday, June 19, the kitchen’s clean and you’ll be home in time for an afternoon nap. And that’s a Father’s Day we all can appreciate.

Dad’s Day Oven-Fried Picnic Chicken
Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup olive-oil mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
Coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), rinsed, patted dry, skinned and cut into 10 serving pieces

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a shallow bowl.
In a large zip-lock bag, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, salt and pepper.

Dip chicken in the mayonnaise mixture to coat, then drop in plastic bag and shake until each piece is evenly coated.  Arrange on a rack sprayed with cooking spray on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for about 55 to 60 minutes until the coating is crisp and or juices run clear when pierced with a fork.

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