Photo: Southern Pan Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken, cut into pieces
- 2 quarts cold water
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons potato flour
- 1 pound lard
- 1/4 pound unsalted butter
- 1/4 pound bacon or smoked pork shoulder
Directions
Rinse chicken under cold running water. Mix water and kosher salt in large bowl, stirring until salt dissolves. Cover chicken with salt mixture and refrigerate overnight (minimum 4 hours).
Remove chicken from salt water brine and immerse in buttermilk. Allow to marinate overnight (minimum 4 hours). Remove chicken from buttermilk, holding each piece to drip excess buttermilk back into bowl. Lay chicken on a wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan.
Mix flour, sea salt, pepper, cornstarch, and potato flour in a large bowl. Dredge chicken parts in flour mixture, shaking off excess. Lay chicken parts on the wire cooling rack.
Using large cast iron, or heavy skillet, melt the lard and butter together and add the bacon or pork shoulder. When the mixture is hot (but not smoking), add the chicken, 1 piece at a time, in a single layer, skin side down. The chicken should be half covered in the butter-lard mixture. Cook each piece 10 to 12 minutes per side, turning once, or more often if necessary, to brown evenly. Dark meat cooks more slowly than white meat. To check for doneness, cut a thigh to the bone and check for redness. When evenly browned, removed the cooked chicken and place on cooling rack. Serve hot or allow to cool to room temperature.
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By majix77
Everett, WA
on December 09, 2011
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OK I know this is not healthy. All I can say is WHO CARES? Foodies you should sacrifice your calorie count at least once a year a try this dish. I served Collard Greens, Candied Yams, Fried Corn , Tomato & Onion Salad and Honey Jalapeno Corn Bread Finished it with Peach Cobbler and Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream for Dessert My Goodness I cant even describe to you how good this was.
By jodiegayton_119...
Dahlonega, 49
on June 29, 2009
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I've been asked dozens of times to marry all my friends now because of this recipe. It's that good. The chicken is so moist and there's lots of taste. It's a pain to prep - but it's worth every minute. It's better than any friend chicken you can buy.
I have it down to a science. The day prior to making this dish, about 7 or 8 at night I put the chicken in the salt brine. Then the next morning I switch it over to the buttermilk. When I get home from work its ready to dredge in the flour and seasonings and fry.
Next time I'm going to add a tablespoon on cirache hot sauce to the buttermilk to make it spicy.
Also, I make it without the potato flour - our small town WalMart doesn't carry it.
I make this with Paula Deen's green bean bundles (bacon wrapped green beans and in the summer - a sweet vidalia onion/cucumber salad (ingredients are: cucumbers, mayo, sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar and dill. I always get rave reviews with this combo.
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