Fried Chicken and complaining

Sunday dinner is always at our house.  any of the kids in town know they are expected, yes Joe every week, my MIL and BIL come and other assorted family and friends.  My BIL has gotten into the habit of bringing a salad.  I appreciate that and have started to count on it.  Salad and wine, I count on the wine too.

So I was planning Sunday dinner and talking about this new fried chicken recipe I was going to try and my BIL said he would bring a salad, but I was really putting the pressure on him.  I just let the comment pass, not really knowing what he was talking about.  Later at dinner he started to complain....
He had to pull the strings off the sugar snap peas, he had to peel the celery (I hate celery strings and I always peel mine), he had to peel and grate the carrots...on and on he complained about all the things he had to do to the salad.
"It used to be I would open a bag of pre-made salad and call it good." he stated, "Now I have all this prep work to do because you would do that, Toni."

Well, at least he is learning something.

So, on to the chicken.  This is baked low and slow first, and then fried so you get juicy, tender chicken, perfectly cooked.  It does take some planning and a little extra time, but it is mostly hands-off and you can do other things while the chicken is baking...like pull the strings off sugar snap peas.  I did make some adjustments to make it dairy free for the Bboy and the chick, next time I do this I'll do half with buttermilk coating and half without for the kids.

Fried Chicken
adapted from Food and Wine, March 2014

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/4 cup freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. minced thyme
5 minced bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 three-pound chickens

Oil for frying
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup onion powder
kosher salt for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 200°F.  In a bowl, whisk 3 Tbsp. kosher salt with 2 Tbsp. pepper, the olive oil, thyme, sage, bay leaves and garlic.  Rub the mixture all over the chickens and set them in a roasting pan.  Roast for about 2 hours 30 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted int he inner thighs registers 150°F.  Let the chickens cool, then cut each into 10 pieces. (4 drumsticks, 4 thighs, 4 wings, and 8 breast quarters.)

**I did not do this, but I'm adding it for my milk friendly friends and I'll try it with half next time...
Whisk 1 quart buttermilk, 1 Tbsp. Tabasco and 1 tsp. sugar in a large bowl, add the chicken pieces.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Remove chicken from buttermilk and proceed with the rest of the directions.***

In a large bowl, whisk the all purpose flour, rice flour, garlic and onion powders, 3 Tbsp. salt and 2 Tbsp. pepper.

Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, patting lightly so the flour adheres.  Fry the chicken with oil at 350°F, turning occasionally, until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of each piece registers 160°F, about 6-8 minutes.  Transfer chicken to platter lined with paper towels, sprinkle with kosher salt.

1 year ago:   Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
2 years ago:  Adult Hot Chocolate and the Open North American Dog Race

March 19 , 2014   Daylight 12 hrs. 10 min. 10 sec.  Temp H 23/ L -6°F