Southern Style Fried Chicken, Biscuits & Gravy & Candied Pecan Salad

I guess when you are a southern guy living in the city, the holiday blues can hit you hard (sniff).  Normally, I would say, darling, I love you, but give me Park Avenue.  But other times I also secretly wish I could just run out the door, jump in the pick up, and drive to the mall....which is why I prepared him this down home fried chicken dinner. When I mentioned it was on the menu, his eyes lit up - but then he asked seriously, do you know how to make it?  So I had to do a bit of research to make sure I got it right   This is very satisfying to make because the chicken gets an impressive crispy brown coating which creates a lot of excitement....and I was quite surprised to discover that it stays very moist inside.  Although you obviously can't eat this every day, it's definitely a winner!

Southern Style Fried Chicken, Biscuits & Gravy & Candied Pecan Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken (bone in), cut up into frying pieces (also, cut the breast in half) 
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

beat together: 

• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white flour
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 1 tblsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt

blend together: 

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tblsp garlic salt
• 2 tblsp onion powder
• 1 tblsp paprika
• 1 tsp pepper

Also, blend with the above flour mixture, a combination of herbs & spices, such as the following:

• 1 tblsp powdered sage leaves
• 1 tsp powdered dry ginger
• 1 tsp crushed rosemary leaves
• 1 tsp sweet marjoram
• 1 tsp hot cayenne pepper

Method:

Roll each piece of chicken in the flour mixture.
 Dip in the egg mixture and again in the flour.

Heat the oil in the skillet until it's hot enough that it sizzles when you add the chicken.

Add each of piece of chicken and fry for about 15 minutes on each side - you'll also need to turn some of the thick pieces on all 4 sides to get every spot browned.

At this point, if you are making your own, start preparing your Mac & Cheese:

Ingredients:

1 box penne or traditional macaroni
2 cups milk or half & half
1/4 cream cheese
1/8 tsp tumeric
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
2 cups cheddar cheese (grated)
1/4 cup Parmesan
1/2 cup rich crackers, or bread crumbs
2 tblsp butter, in pieces

 Method:

Make a nice cream sauce with milk and add a blob of cream cheese.

....or, for a really rich sauce,  use cream  AND add the cream cheese.   

Season with paprika, turmeric, and garlic powder. 

Heat the sauce and whisk in the cream cheese until blended.

Layer the cooking pan with half of the cooked penne and a generous portion of grated cheddar cheese.

Repeat another layer and pour all of the cream sauce over the pasta and grate more cheddar cheese on top.  Grate crackers or bread crumbs to make the crust

Dab with chunks of butter and Parmesan. 

Bake in the oven at 350 until the sauce is bubbling and the top is crispy and browned. 

(I would say that you need to cover the pasta generously with the sauce - even if it looks like it might be too much - because otherwise it comes out too dry, and you want it to be creamy)

  Next, put your biscuits in the oven - they are actually easy to make from scratch but I'm not ashamed to admit that I used the refrigerator kind (Pillsbury or Trader Joe).

Then quickly toss up with a green salad with my home-made balsamic dressing topped with candied pecans, for the final Southern touch.

Helpful hint: what to wear after preparing Southern Fried Chicken...

 

 

“If a mans gonna eat fried chicken, he's gotta get greasy.”

Anonymous