Fried Chicken for Dummies

Have I mentioned that my husband is from Nashville? He is basically the king of fried foods, and fried chicken happens to be his specialty. We usually have fried chicken at least once a month. But we always make it at home. (The only chicken we buy out almost always comes from Chik-fil-A. We sure missed it when we lived in Montana! But don’t worry, we have more than made up for lost time.) To be completely honest, I am a little bit terrified of hot oil, so I usually leave the cooking of the fried foods to him — but I finally decided it was high time I tried my hand at making the chicken. After all, there are some things every Southern woman should know how to do for herself. So I had him teach me: Fried Chicken for Dummies style. Check it out!

Recipe: Fried Chicken 

Here’s how you make it:

Fire up the mini fryer (you could also cook the chicken on the stovetop.) While it heats, combine two teaspoons salt, a half a teaspoon black pepper, a healthy teaspoon of garlic powder, a healthy teaspoon of onion powder, and a teaspoon of paprika in a small container (or bowl with a lid). Next, add three cups all-purpose flour to the dry mixture, followed by a half a cup of cornstarch. Mix well, and set aside. Trim the yuck off of four(ish) chicken breasts. (Cut into smaller pieces if desired.) Dip the chicken breasts — one by one — into a mixture of two cups buttermilk, two eggs, and a half a cup of water. Followed by a dip in the dry mixture. OR, you can place all of the “wet” chicken into the container of dry ingredients, replace the lid, and give it a good shake. Either way. Then drop each breast (or strip/nugget if you prefer smaller pieces) into the fryer. (We like to cook our chicken in either canola or peanut oil.) The chicken should turn a beautiful, golden brown color. That’s how you’ll know it’s ready — and of course, you can always check the temperature of the meat with a thermometer. Serve warm. Fried chicken pairs perfectly with french fries (Cajun seasoned obviously) or cornbread, a vegetable (like corn or green beans), and garlic mashed potatoes. Sweet tea and ice cream are usually our beverage and desserts of choice. Finger. Licking. Good.

About the author…After three blissful years in the Treasure State, Jessica recently moved back to Houston, Texas with her hunky husband and her three precious little girls, Savannah Leigh, Emma Kate, and Brooklyn Olivia. Jessica is a small business owner with a degree in Broadcast Journalism, and a nerd-like love for political science. She is passionate about writing, marketing, social media management, and this wonderfully beautiful mess we call parenthood.