This Recipe is part of the Traditional Southern Supper Real Cajun Menu
This recipe is really simple, but it requires attention to detail. It’s important to keep the oil temperature consistent (this is where most people mess up when frying chicken). If you try to put too much chicken in the pan, you will lower the temperature of the oil and end up with greasy chicken. If the oil is too hot, you will end up with a burnt-tasting crust and a raw center.
Tip: Another great thing about fried chicken is that it makes amazing leftovers, and it’s also great for picnics. I put sliced leftover breast meat on a soft white roll with mayo, but do consider chicken salad, a chicken BLT or chicken Parmesan. Fried chicken—it’s not just for breakfast anymore.
Ingredients
1 (3- to 4-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces (see Note)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
5 dashes of Louisiana hot sauce
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
3 cups lard, vegetable shortening, or bacon fat
3 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
1. Place the chicken pieces in a mixing bowl and season with the salt, pepper, cayenne, white pepper, garlic powder, and hot sauce, and toss to coat evenly. Cover with plastic and marinate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day in the refrigerator (the longer the better, to allow the seasonings to permeate the meat). Remove the chicken from the dry spices and transfer to a clean mixing bowl. Pour the buttermilk over the chicken.
2. Heat the lard in a large cast-iron skillet to 350°F, or until a pinch of flour sizzles when it is dropped in the fat.
3. Meanwhile, as the oil heats, remove the chicken from the buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off, and transfer to a clean bowl. Add the flour and toss to coat. When the oil is ready, add the chicken pieces (shaking off any excess flour before placing in the oil), one at a time, to the skillet. Start with the larger bone-in cuts in the first round, as they will take longer to cook, and the chicken breasts in the second round (they will take about 2 minutes less on each side). For the crispiest results, it’s important not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the chicken about 8 minutes on each side, using tongs to turn as necessary, making sure the oil does not get too hot (it should have a mellow sizzle, not a raging boil), or it will make the outside too dark before the inside meat is cooked. Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Don’t be in such a rush to eat the chicken right out of the fat; it’s too hot, for one thing, and if you let it sit for a few minutes, the juices will settle and it will be more pleasurable to eat.
Note: Cutting the chicken into 10 pieces instead of the more typical eight (two wings, two breasts, two drumsticks, two thighs) results in smaller, easy-to-hold pieces with more crispy, crusty goodness. Cut the chicken into eight pieces (or buy a pre-sectioned chicken), then cut the breast off, leaving the breast side of the wing attached. Cut the breast in half, making 10 pieces, which gives you two wings, two thighs, two legs, and four pieces of breast—two with the drumstick side of the wing attached.
Serves 4 to 6
Excerpted from Real Cajun by Donald Link with Paula Disbrowe. Photography by Chris Granger. Copyright © 2009 by Donald Link. Excerpted by permission of Random House. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Buy the book now.