We love to go non-traditional in our house. As in we don't don't have traditional meals for every holiday. In fact the only holiday where our food is consistently the same is Thanksgiving. And let's face it. That holiday is all about the food. I couldn't even tell you what people eat for Christmas eve and day dinners. We just pick out a fancier menu than normal. Oh and when everyone is chowing down on ham for Easter, we're a house full of rebels. Of course it helps that no one in my house really cares for ham.
When I was in the 5th grade, I had a bad run in with ham. We used to be friends. Practically best friends. I used to take a ham sandwich to school every day for lunch. On wheat bread with a little mayo, mustard, and a slice of cheddar cheese. Until one fateful day when I took a bite of my ham sandwich and tasted fish. FISH? Ham ≠ Fish. Looking back I can only assume that ham was a little off. You know, past it's prime. But it has forever done me in. Now, I have tried ham since then, and continue to try it, just in case some day we can reconnect, but there just hasn't been a spark yet. Oh well.
So instead, this year for our Easter menu, my mother-in-law requested fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, and asparagus. I was so down with that. Fried chicken it was. Now, this is a meal that I make throughout the year, but it's definitely not a once-a-week or even once-a-month occurrence. Hot oil is definitely not something I enjoy messing around with, but for fried chicken, it's worth it. So when I do make fried chicken, I will double (or even triple) the recipe and we will eat it for a week. Either as leftovers or as something new. Sliced and added to a salad. In between some bread (who doesn't like a crispy chicken sandwich?). Or Adam's favorite: Sliced in a tortilla with melted cheese, drizzled with a little honey mustard or ranch, topped with a bit of lettuce.
Crispy Fried Chicken
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise
1 cup buttermilk
salt and pepper
3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp dried parsley
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 dashes cayenne pepper
Place chicken pieces in a deep dish container or bowl and season with salt and pepper. Pour buttermilk over chicken. Let sit for at least 1 hour. In a bowl or other deep dish (like a pie plate), combine flour, breadcrumbs, parsley, garlic powder, pepper, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix well. In a large skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Remove all the chicken from the buttermilk and place on a plate. Taking one piece of chicken at a time, coat in flour. Then dunk back in the buttermilk and re-coat in flour. This results in a nice thick crust. Place in hot oil. Oil should bubble and sizzle around the chicken. If your oil pops and splatters, turn down the temperature slightly. It is better to cook a little bit slower for longer. Repeat with remaining chicken until skillet has a single layer of chicken in it. As each piece of chicken begins to turn golden brown, flip to cook the other side (approximately 3-5 minutes on each side. Cooking time will depend on the temperature of the oil and the thickness of the chicken). If you feel that the breading is turning brown really fast, then turn down the temperature of the oil, so the chicken can cook evenly. Once evenly brown, remove chicken from oil and place on a plate or 13x9 dish lined with paper towels. Keep chicken in a warm preheated oven (approximately 200˚ F).
*The amounts of buttermilk, oil, and flour mixture will vary slightly depending on the size of the chicken breasts. I used what I would consider a medium size. This recipe would also be great for chicken tenders or even bone-in chicken, although cooking times would definitely vary. When dealing with hot oil, it is important to give it your full attention. I do not recommend multi-tasking while frying.
Source: Elizabeth original
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