When things go perfectly, and everything turns out exactly as planned, people get a feeling of pure joy in their hearts.

That is exactly what the young chefs of Bayard Taylor felt in Week 6 of cooking class.

“This is the best thing I have ever eaten in my life!” exclaimed Iralys Almonte Borges after biting into a drumstick of Baked Cornflake Chicken.

“This is really good,” added Ivette Kelly Perez. “I think we should make this for our families.”

“This gonna be the best day ever,” declared Nickless Albaladejo.

“Wednesday is the best day, with Cooking Club!” Ivette exclaimed.

The Baked Cornflake Chicken recipe is one of the best and most popular offered in cooking class because it shows students how they can make fast foods in a healthy way. Instead of the fats, oil and salt used in places like Popeyes or KFC, it provides crunchiness with cornflakes and flavor with spices like garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

And it is loads of fun.

Students love cracking cracking eggs, whisking them with milk, and — most of all — pounding and smashing the cornflakes into little bits to coat the chicken.

In our class, Iralys, Jahira Frazier and Shainysse Sanchez took care of the eggs and whisking and and EVERYONE wanted a turn smashing the cornflakes for the chicken.

Meanwhile, Nickless, Ivette and Carlos Rivera — who have gotten really good at chopping — took care of cutting up the leaves of kale and broccoli rabe that would be “blanched” in boiling water and cooked in a skillet as the vegetable for the meal.

With the skills our chefs have acquired, the work went quickly and efficiently. They marveled at how bright green the vegetables looked and how beautifully golden the drumsticks were when coated with cornflakes.

“They look like Popeyes!” Nickless exclaimed, but so much better.

With all their eagerness, our young chefs could hardly wait to see how the chicken would turn out. As the minutes ticked by, they lined up outside our convection oven to get a glimpse the moment the door was opened.

The meal did not disappoint.

“Mmmmmmmm,” they said together, as they loaded up their plates. Then they all grew quiet, eating happily.