Fried Chicken Creole

Yield: 4-5 servings

 

Ingredients:

 

Brine

3 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon Herbs de Province

1⁄4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1⁄4 cup honey

1 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

2 cloves garlic, peeled, crushed

 

 

Breading

1 ½ cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Province

1/2 teaspoon salt

1⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne

1⁄8 teaspoon sweet Hungarian paprika

 

 

1 cup buttermilk

Peanut oil (The amount will depend on the size of the frying pan. A Dutch oven is suggested. The depth should be at least 2”.)

2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings (flappers removed), and 4 quartered breast pieces from a young hen, or 8 pieces of dark meat or 8 quartered boneless breast pieces

 

Garnish

Italian parsley leaves, chopped

Creole sauce

 

 

Steps:

1. Combine the brine ingredients in a ceramic bowl large enough to hold the brine and chicken pieces.  Stir until honey is dissolved.
2. Add chicken.
3. Cover the bowl and place in the icebox for 24 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 350° F.
5. Remove chicken from icebox and allow to rest on the counter for 30 minutes.
6. Mix all of the ingredients for the breading together in a large bowl.
7. Place the cup of buttermilk in a bowl large enough to dip the largest piece of chicken.
8. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
9. Pour the oil into a Dutch oven to a depth of 2”.
10. Heat the oil to 350° F.
11. Preheat the oven to 300° F.
12. Place a rack on top of a clean jelly roll pan.
13. Remove a piece of chicken from the brine. Shake off any excess.
14. Dredge the piece in the breading mix. Shake off excess flour. Dip in the buttermilk and again dredge the piece in the breading mix. Shake off any excess breading mix.
15. Place coated chicken on the parchment paper lined pan.
16. Let the coated chicken sit so that the coating will thicken while the oil gets hot.
17. The number of pieces that can be placed in the oil depends on the width of the pan. The pieces should not touch while in the oil. Maintain the frying temperature at 350° F. The more pieces of chicken added to the pan, the greater the tendency for the oil’s temperature to reduce.
18. If the chicken pieces are dark and white, begin cooking with the dark meat, as it will take longer to fry. Add one piece of chicken to the oil. Wait a few minutes for the temperature to rebound. Continue the process of adding pieces until the appropriate number of pieces for the size of the pan have been added.
19. Fry the chicken for 5 minutes before turning with a spider spatula. Turn the chicken pieces over gently with the spider spatula so as not to disturb the breading.
20. Continue to fry, turning every five minutes, until the dark pieces reached 185° F. and the white meat pieces reach 165° F. If the breading starts to darken, remove the piece and place on the rack over the jelly roll pan and place in the oven to complete the cooking.
21. Remove each piece as it reaches the indicated temperature (10 – 15 minutes). Use the spider spatula to place it on the rack over the jelly roll pan and place the pan in the oven. Continue the process until all the pieces have been fried.
22. Serve the cooked chicken pieces hot. If desired, the chicken can be kept hot at 250° F. in the oven until the rest of the meal is plated.
23. Plate, garnish as desired, and serve with creole sauce.