Monday, April 7, 2008

Fried Chicken


I'm a little behind, I made this for dinner a week ago Sunday. We had some friends over one of which doesn't like any red meat, or pork. So that leaves me with chicken. I have been so bored with chicken lately so I decided to fall back on the ole stand by. Fried Chicken um mm.
Alright this is what you need.
package of chicken legs, or you can just use some chicken tenders
flour
Italian bread crumbs
salt
pepper
seasoning salt
oil
two or three eggs
Preheat your oven to 350
Pour some oil in your frying pan, enough to coat the bottom of the pan and let it heat up. I usually cook on medium heat.
Next scramble your eggs in a bowl big enough to dip your chicken into
Then make your flour mixture
In a separate bowl, still big enough to dip your chicken in, mix your flour, bread crumbs, salt pepper, and seasoning salt. It really depends on how much chicken you are frying up but I use equal parts flour and bread crumbs, then I just shake some salt, pepper, and the all important seasoning salt in there. Sorry I told you I never measure anything.
Okay let's get to frying
Dip your chicken in the egg mixture and then the flour mixture and into the frying pan. Usually by the time I get the pan full it's time to flip the first piece. You want them nice and golden brown. Don't worry if they are not all the way cooked we are going to bake them in the oven the rest of the way.
After the first pan of chicken is done I like to clean all the dripping out so I don't end up with black fried chicken, but don't throw those yummy drippings out we can make some gravy out of them. Then you might need to add a little more oil. Repeat this until all your chicken is fried up and put it in the oven to bake the rest of the way.
Once your chicken is in the oven that is when I start the mashed potatoes, a salad and whatever else I am making for dinner.
Let's get to that yummy gravy. I play around with the gravy every time I make it but I have to say this was the best gravy I have made in a long time.
I started with that greasy pan I fried the chicken up in. Then I added a little more oil and the rest of my flour mixture. I browned it up nice and good until the flour was cooked. This is the crucial part. If you don't cook it long enough your gravy tastes like flour and if you cook it too long it tastes burnt. Keep stirring it so your flour doesn't burn. When it's the perfect golden color start pouring in your milk. Whisk, pour, whisk some more, pour a little more. Okay now for the secret ingredient.......
A package of McCormick Chicken Gravy mix
I mix it up with the 1 cup cold water and then pour it into my gravy. I stir it until it starts to bubble. If it's too thick I add a little more milk, if it's to thin, well I let it cook a little longer and it usually thickens up.
Don't forget to taste it. Need a little more salt, maybe some pepper? Go a head and add some.
Okay secret ingredient #2 remember those drippings I told you to save well throw them in there. There like a yummy little crunch to your already delicious gravy.
Don't forget about your chicken in the oven. We don't want to over cook it. I usually just pull it a part with a fork to check and see if it's done.
Enjoy, and don't worry about all the calories we just created we only eat like this once in a while.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Interesting to know.