Fried chicken: first attempt

Sharon

Sharon

* * * * * * * * *
Staff member
PREMO Member
I just got this in my mailbox...it's not fried but it looks & sounds yummy. :drool:

Unfried Crispy Chicken

4 (6 oz.) bone-in chicken breasts, preferably organic
3/4 cup low fat buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco
1/2 cup finely crushed whole grain ranch flavored crackers, such as Kashi (about 18 crackers)
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil cooking spray *

Remove and discard skin from chicken breasts and place the chicken in a one gallon plastic food storage bag. Pour buttermilk and hot sauce over chicken. Close bag securely, turning to coat. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Heat oven to 400° F. Combine cracker crumbs, pecans, salt and pepper in a shallow plate or pie plate. Remove each chicken breast from bag letting excess buttermilk drip back into bag. Place meaty side of breast into crumbs, pressing down firmly on bones so crumbs adhere well to chicken. Place bone side down on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining three chicken breasts. Coat chicken lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Bake 35 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center and crumbs are golden brown. Use a spatula to transfer chicken to serving dishes as tongs may disturb the coating.

Substitutions:

Walnuts may replace the pecans and any flavor of Kashi cracker may replace the ranch flavor, if desired.

Tips:

Soaking the chicken in buttermilk creates a velvety texture for the breast meat. In the South, the chicken is rolled in seasoned flour and deep fried in hydrogenated fat. This healthy version is less messy as it bakes unwatched to free up time to prepare one or two side dishes. Serve the chicken with sherried mustard (two tablespoons Dijon or grainy mustard combined with one tablespoon dry sherry) and cranberry chutney, if you like.

*Pour extra virgin olive oil into a small squirt bottle.

Video - Unfried Crispy Chicken: ChefMD®
 
desertrat

desertrat

0_0
vraiblonde said:
I think I've told you this story:

When I was a little kid, my great-grandfather owned a farm in Iowa. When we'd go to visit, my job was to feed the chickens.

Now, anyone who has ever fed chickens knows that they are ill-mannered brutish creatures who have no sense of decorum. So I would show up with my little pan, and the chickens would rush me like a gang of marauding thugs, knocking me over in their feeding frenzy. So I'd throw the pan at them and run like hell.

Anyway, how many chickens will lose their lives in my quest for fried chicken? I hope all of them.
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:killingme
 
jazz lady

jazz lady

~*~ Rara Avis ~*~
PREMO Member
vraiblonde said:
It was good, but not the best I've ever had. Tasty, but the meat seemed a little tough and the crust was hard rather than crispy.

Here's what I did so any of you chicken babes can correct me:

Soaked 8 wings overnight in buttermilk.

Drained the wings, then seasoned them with Old Bay, pepper and smoked salt.

Dredged them in seasoned flour (flour was seasoned lightly with the above).

Dunked them in the buttermilk again, then dredged them again.

Let them sit on the rack while the Crisco was heating.

Fried them in hot Crisco, set at 5 on my stove - water flicked in to test danced and popped. 12 minutes, flip, 12 minutes.

Drained on wire rack until cool enough to eat.

They were done, but not overdone. Again, the crust was hard, not crisp. The meat was tasty, as was the crust, but it just wasn't right. Also, the crust fell off the chicken on some of the wings.

Any suggestions? These are the problems I've always had with fried chicken. :mad: Am I maybe not getting the Crisco hot enough?
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Roberta said:
Sounds like you made "spackle" with the double dipping. Next time drain the chicken and dry slightly, season, dredge in flour and fry.
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Ack! :yikes: And :yeahthat: to the max.

Kain99 said:
Vrai I honestly think the crust was hard due to the buttermilk. I love Jazzy more than life, but when you mention it last night I cringed.

Most all novice chefs think you need a "wet" with chicken but ya don't.

Take the bird and pack with your dry and fry.

Your spices were perfect!

Don't give up.
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I'm thinking I should be insulted by your post. :lol: I am *hardly* a novice cook in any way, shape or form, believe me. :diva:

No, you don't have "wet" the chicken before frying but Vrai was asking about the BEST way to fry chicken and I've yet to find anything that comes close to using buttermilk. The only problem was her method was a little off. Well, WAY off. "Spackle" should not come to mind. :lmao:

Soak the bird (or pieces) in buttermilk overnight to tenderize, flavor, and moisten, then drain well. THEN apply your flour/spice mixture and fry it up using a cast iron pan. Perfect every time! :cheers:

Wow, even the guru of all gurus Alton Brown agrees with his 5-star rated method of frying chicken using buttermilk:

Fried Chicken Recipe : Alton Brown : Food Network

Some caveats, though. The amount of salt is WAY too much for my tastes - I'd cut it in half or maybe down to a fourth of what he calls for. And when I fry chicken, I always dump a liberal amount of Old Bay into the mix. :yum:
 
K

kbeachcat123

Jack Russells RULE!
Hey Vrai,
I tried to fry chicken once, in a deep fryer, and it was time consuming and messy. I "oven fry" the chicken, and I found THE BEST breading that replicates deep fried chicken.

The brand is "House of Autry" and I can only find it at Food Lion. I mix the original recipe breader, with the spicy & hot breader.

Here's what I do:

Preheat oven to 425.

Rinse & pat dry chicken parts. Set aside.

Put about 1+ cup milk (depending on how much chicken you got) in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, mix the House of Autry Original Recipe Breader w/ Spicy & Hot Breader, to taste.

Line a couple of cookie sheets with foil. Since I use a sort of deep-ish cookie sheet, I take vegetable oil and spread it around. Don't use too much since it will make your chicken soggy. I usually pour about a tablespoon or so and spread it around with my fingers.

Dip a chicken piece in the milk (be sure to keep one hand for the wet dip, use that to dip it into the dry mix)

Take the chicken piece and dredge it in the dry mix. For extra crispy, I re-dip the chicken part into the milk and re-dip into the dry mix.

Place chicken piece into the cookie sheet bone side down. Repeat. You want to leave some space between chicken in order to flip. *Note: I usually get just a pack of chicken wings and chicken breasts, and each cookie sheet will have just wings and just breasts)

Chicken Wings: Bake about 20 mins. Flip over and cook for about another 10 mins or so until done.

Bone-In Chicken Breasts: Bake about 30-40 mins and then flip & cook for another 20-15mins.

Serve with green beans and you're good to go.
 
vraiblonde

vraiblonde

Board Mommy
PREMO Member
Patron
Jazz, I believe you about the buttermilk - Alton Brown says so too. :yay:

Anyway, I have my wings, my buttermilk and my Old Bay ready for the next attempt, which will be this weekend. If that darn Pete can do it, so can I!
 
Pete

Pete

Repete
vraiblonde said:
Jazz, I believe you about the buttermilk - Alton Brown says so too. :yay:

Anyway, I have my wings, my buttermilk and my Old Bay ready for the next attempt, which will be this weekend. If that darn Pete can do it, so can I!
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Fried chicken was sooooooooooo yesterday :yawn:
 
W

Wenchy

Guest
I had to make it tonight and don't want to clog D's or my arteries more than they are.

House Autry and the recipe on the package will do one good. (medium breader)

Oven fried and lower fat than the traditional (still high fat...ugh)

I would like one piece of fattening artery clogging chicken but the places have all gone non-trans.

If I make it here then D would eat the whole chicken in one sitting.

I need to take care of him. :ohwell:
 
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BS Gal

BS Gal

Voted Nicest in 08
Wenchy said:
I had to make it tonight and don't want to clog D's or my arteries more than they are.

House Autry and the recipe on the package will do one good. (medium breader)

Oven fried and lower fat than the traditional (still high fat...ugh)

I would like one piece of fattening artery clogging chicken but the places have all gone non-trans.

If I make it here then D would eat the whole chicken in one sitting.

I need to take care of him. :ohwell:
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Power of suggestion. I'm thinking about making some artery clogging fried chicken this weekend. :lol: With hot potato salad and something nutritional to go along with it....
 
W

Wenchy

Guest
BS Gal said:
Power of suggestion. I'm thinking about making some artery clogging fried chicken this weekend. :lol: With hot potato salad and something nutritional to go along with it....
Click to expand...

I'll bring the Apple Betty and high fat ice cream. :lol:
 
Agee

Agee

Well-Known Member
season the wings, and prepare seasoned flour

have a source of 350 degree grease, enough so the wings can float.

dredge the wings in the flour and fry...

jmo- chicken & buttermilk are awesome with larger cuts, with wings not so much
 
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