.. And the Cow Said : "Eat More Chicken"

Posted by Dexie

Last week's dinner of lemon chicken (recipe below) elicited another round of questions from my son. He lets me know everytime that lemon chicken is his favourite. Then he asks me, all the time, "what's your favourite chicken Mom?" What he actually means is, what's my favourite chicken dish. I always reply with "good 'ol southern fried chicken". After years of experimenting in my kitchen on how to make the best fried chicken ever, I've settled on 2 ways to cook this very famous poultry dish. Besides my tried, tested and true Oven Fried Chicken (recipe below), I discovered what I think is the best way to cook this last summer while watching FoodTV to entertain my very pregnant body (yes watching cooking shows keeps me entertained). It's from Alton Brown.

FRIED CHICKEN
1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups low fat buttermilk
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Flour, for dredging
Vegetable shortening, for frying

Place chicken pieces into a plastic container and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.

Drain chicken in a colander. Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Liberally season chicken with this mixture. Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.

Place chicken skin-side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)

Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven.

via FoodTV

My other favourite way is called Oven Fried Chicken which I have mastered through the years. All I do is season the flour with salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika. I coat the chicken pieces all around, lay them down in a baking sheet, then bake in the oven 345 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the poultry reads 180 in the thermometer.

Here is my son's favourite chicken. Everytime I make this I don't have to constantly keep telling him to eat his food or to stop fidgeting in his chair like I usually do when it's dinner time. He eats his share with much gusto and is so proud of himself when he finishes before me or his Dad. Of course I have to listen to him ask his question over and over again, "what's your favourite chicken Mom?"

Lemon Chicken
Season flour with salt and pepper. Coat the boneless chicken breasts with the flour. In a skillet, melt butter in medium heat. Cook the chicken on both sides. Put them in a plate and set aside. Using the same pan, melt a little bit more butter, sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour. Stir the flour into the pan using a whisk. Then pour 3/4 cup of chicken stock. Keep whisking then add the juice of a half-lemon. Season with salt and pepper. The sauce should be slightly thickened. Turn the stove off, then add your chicken pieces into the sauce. VOILA!. It's very easy to make.

So how about you, what's your favourite chicken? :)

PS: When it comes to eating out, I love KFC's Original Friend Chicken and Golden Corral's Fried Chicken.

TAGS: Chicken, Fried Chicken, Lemon Chicken
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[ READER COMMENTS ]

1

D. said:

What's my favorite chicken?

Any kind that I don't have to make myself! :)

Your oven-baked chicken, however, sounds fabulous. Even if I have to make it myself...

Posted at 09:45 AM, on January 23 2007

2

dexie said:

good answer :)

hope you try the oven fried chicken. let me know how it turns out.

thank you for commenting.

Posted at 07:34 AM, on January 24 2007

3

Alexqhavv said:

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Posted at 05:29 AM, on February 11 2007

.. And the Cow Said : "Eat More Chicken"

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