Grandmas Fried Chicken Recipes

GRANDMA'S SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash chicken pieces and place in a deep bowl. Cover with buttermilk and hot sauce, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Melt shortening in a cast iron skillet to a depth of about 1 inch.
• Heat to about 370º. (No thermometer needed, really. It'll get hot enough while chicken rests AFTER coating if you have your flame on about medium.) If it starts to smoke, turn it down immediately a bit.
• In a doubled brown paper lunch sack, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
• Remove chicken from bowl.
• Using additional seasoned salt and pepper, lightly coat to season chicken.
• Place chicken in bag, one piece at a time. Shake well until thoroughly coated.
• Dip each piece in the buttermilk and coat with flour once again.
• Shake off excess; place on waxed paper for 15 minutes or until dry.
• Place chicken, skin side down, in hot shortening.
• Do not crowd skillet.
• Brown until golden on bottom (good)(skin) side. When chicken pieces are golden on one side, turn pieces over, cover with tight fitting lid, and reduce heat to a simmer, turning chicken pieces ocaisionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is tender. *When lid is placed on, and heat is reduced to a good simmer, the good side of pieces are the top sides. After about 10 minutes, turn back to skin-side down. After another 10 minutes or so, turn back to skin-side up for the last 10-15 minutes.).
• Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer for "crispy on the outside" crust. Remove at once, skipping this step, if a softer outside is preferred. My grandma and great aunts always drained their fried chicken on brown paper grocery bags. This seems to work best for me, too. Paper towels work "ok", too. *If doubling or making alot of chicken, or just wanting to keep it warm til the rest of your side dishes are done and ready to serve, place chicken on brown paper bag-lined cookie sheet in very low oven. GREAT cold, too!
• 4-6 servings.
• To make chicken fingers:.
• Use 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips about a 1/2-3/4 " thick. I skipped the buttermilk and hot sauce part, and dipped them into the flour mixture first, then into 1 egg beaten with about a half of a cup of half and half cream and a little hot sauce. Then back into the flour mixture. Worked out PERFECTLY. I lightly browned them in hot oil on one side, turned them, then put a lid on them. I then only cooked them for 8 minutes. I removed the lid, turned them and cooked them another minute. Drained them on paper towel.YUM!
• *One extra tip: Don't ever turn chicken by piercing with a fork, all the juices will run out and the meat will be dry. Always use tongs and have a sharp spatula handy to get underneath just in case a little bit wants to stick. You don't want to lose that good breading! :).

GRANDMA'S FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken pieces in baking dish, pour salad dressing over chicken.
• Let dressing soak into the chicken for a couple of hours, while in the refrigerator.
• Remove chicken and shake off excess dressing, discard the extra.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• On plate, mix flour, salt and pepper; roll chicken in seasoned flour.
• Heat 1/2 inch oil in large skillet until small cube of bread dropped into oil browns in 60 seconds.
• Fry chicken until golden, 5 to 7 minutes on each side. Transfer to baking pan. Bake until chicken is tender and juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

GRANDMA CHICKEN (CHICKEN AND GRAVY)

Steps:

• Combine flour and pepper in a ziplock bag.
• Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and add to flour mixture.
• After all chicken is in the bag, close bag and shake to coat chicken pieces.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium low heat.
• Slowly brown both sides of chicken in the melted butter. Note: If your skillet isn't large enough, you can do this in batches, it may require additional butter.
• Remove chicken and set aside in a baking dish.
• Cook onion in same pan until soft (if using onion powder, skip this step).
• Add a small amount (approximately 2-3 tablespoons) of the flour/pepper mixture to the water.
• Mix well.
• Pour water and flour mixture slowly into the pan.
• Add chicken broth and thyme (if using onion powder, add it now) and bring to a simmer. Stir often to make a thickish gravy.
• Return browned chicken pieces to the pan.
• Reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring periodically.
• Transfer chicken and gravy into baking dish. I use a 2.8 liter Corning Ware dish, but a 9x13 dish will work as well.
• Cover and bake at 375 for 30 minutes.
• Note: This dish freezes beautifully. After cooking for the first 30 minutes, cool, place in a freezer bag. When you are ready to cook, defrost and cook, covered at 375 for 45-60 minutes or until hot and bubbly.