Monday, June 27, 2011

Chicken Fried Chicken

If you've followed me on this blog at all, you know I'm a Dane who loves spicy food.    It doesn't matter if it's Indian curries, Thai, Chinese Szechuan, Mexican or Cajun, I'll try it and probably like it. 
Chicken Fried Chicken

The other day I had a craving for some spicy chicken, but all I had in the house were some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and they tend to fry up dry.

But, I did have some buttermilk in the fridge and got one of those AHA moments.  Soak the chicken in buttermilk, add some cayenne pepper, a little onion powder and some parsley.

So I did.   Let it soak in the fridge for a couple of hours, and took it out and dredged it in some flour, salt and pepper, onion powder and cayenne, lots of cayenne.   (giggle)

After I dredged it, I dipped it back into the buttermilk mixture and then back into the flour mix again.

You'll get these happy little chunks of buttermilk and flour on the chicken which are so good, when they're fried.
 
And serve it on a nice bed of mixed lettuce,

add a drizzle of my semi-homemade blue cheese dressing;
and enjoy.
I had to show you how pretty it looks, cut up on top of some spring mix.

This made such a nice meal, and the best part, there were leftovers, so I was able to do a repeat for lunch the next day.


Yield: 2-3 servings

Chicken Fried Chicken

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 15 MINStotal time: 30 mins
These are great as a snack out of hand, on a sandwich or topping a salad. And best of all, they taste great

INGREDIENTS:


  • 3 half breasts, cut into cutlets.   (As if you were butterflying the breast, just cut all the way through)
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp (or to taste) Cayenne pepper (less if you don't like spice)
  • 1 tsp Onion powder
  • 1 tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
  • Peanut Oil for frying
Dredging Mixture
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1-2 tbsp. Cayenne Pepper
  • 1-2 tbsp. Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
Semi-homemade Blue Cheese dressing
  • 1 bottle Wishbone Ranch dressing (or your favorite Ranch Dressing)
  • 2-4 oz. Blue Cheese crumbles
  • 2-4 tablespoons buttermilk, if needed

INSTRUCTIONS:


  1. Mix buttermilk and spices together and pour over chicken in a container, place the lid on and put it in the fridge for a couple or more hours.   You can actually do this first thing in the morning, and let it marinate all day.   The buttermilk helps to tenderize and moisten the meat. 
  2. Prepare flour mixture. Mix the spices in with the flour.    At this point I moisten a finger tip and touch the flour and taste.   You should be able to taste the spices, and at this point you can adjust and add more Cayenne or salt or ...   If you find it's too strong, just dump in a little more flour.   I also cut a small piece of chicken, dredge it and fry it, and taste test there as well.   (and it's an excuse to nosh a little bit if you're way hungry).    
  3. After dredging each piece of chicken in the flour, dip it back into the buttermilk then back into the flour mixture again before frying.  You're double dipping the chicken. 
  4. Fry each breast cutlet, until golden brown.   When the chicken is in cutlets like this, it cooks more evenly, and you don't end up with a dark brown exterior and a raw interior.   After each pan is fried, I take the cutlets and place them in a warm oven and continue frying.   You don't want to cook too many at once, and you do want to let the oil come up to temp again between each pan full. 
  5. Dressing- Mix ranch dressing and blue cheese crumbles together in a food processor until just blended. Add more buttermilk if desired for a creamier dressing.
Created using The Recipes Generator
And...
If you fry up some extras, you've got a nice little lunch for the next day or so.  I like making more than we can eat in one meal.
You just never know when a snack attack will hit. 



Sidsel Munkholm - Author
Sidsel Munkholm - Author

Sid loves to cook, feed people and have fun in the kitchen. She shares her successes and the involuntary offerings she sometimes gives the kitchen goddess as well. And she's still looking for the mythical fairy to help her clean the kitchen after a marathon cooking session. Currently working on a cookbook showcasing the recipes from her Danish heritage.

4 comments:

  1. Your Fried Chicken would just be out of this world wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and hope to see you again soon!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for stopping by. And this chicken is good, which reminds me, it's been too long since I've prepared it.

      Delete
  2. I love your aha moments!Will make this soon,my husband is a Dane and he loves spicy food also.Love all your Danish recipes as well.lived in Denmark for 2 years,had some amazing food.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This blog is so nice to me. I will keep on coming here again and again. Visit my link as well.. best fried chicken Singapore

    ReplyDelete

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