Over the weekend, fried chicken was on the menu. When I thought about making fried chicken I turned to the queen of Southern and fried herself, Paula Deen. Honestly, I trust this woman's chicken, it always looks so fabulous and crispy on television.
Anyway, I pulled out her book to find this lovely recipe. I'm not sure who Bert is (maybe her uncle) but this chicken was to die for. The color on it is perfect and it's especially crispy.
I call this kind of chicken "picnic chicken", perfect for a day at the beach, a park...sipping wine and enjoying the outdoors. Since it was raining here, we ate it inside, at the kitchen table. What a concept. And it was delicious.
Will be making it again soon.
Liberally sprinkle each piece of chicken with salt and pepper several hours before cooking. Place it in a dish, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Be sure to do this early enough in the day, otherwise the seasoning will not penetrate.
Place flour in a plastic kitchen storage bag. When ready to cook, beat the eggs with the milk. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, then place each piece in the bag. Shake until the chicken is coated. Set the floured chicken on a plate while you heat the oil.
Pour enough oil into a cast-iron skillet (I like to use my Dutch oven) to come only halfway up the sides of the pan. This is important, as the oil rises when each piece of chicken is added . (You must be careful not to let the oil spill out while the chicken is frying; it can cause serious burns or cause a grease fire if the grease lands on a gas flame or electric cooktop.)
Turn the heat to medium high; test by adding a drop of water to the oil, be careful as oil can splatter. If it sizzles, the oil is ready; this takes about 4-5 minutes. Place about 4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil. Allow to cook on the first side about 8 minutes, and on the second side about 6 minutes, until crispy brown. Pieces with large bones, the legs and thighs, may need an additional minute per side to be completely done. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain well on paper towels. Cook the second batch of chicken.
Leave the chicken uncovered to remain crispy. If you cover it, the crust will get soggy. It's up to you on how you like to eat it.
Yep, it's juicy.
Bert's Southern Fried Chicken
Adapted from Paula Deen
3-4 pounds of chicken, cut up into 8 pieces
Salt and pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour or self-rising flour
3 eggs
1/3 cup milk
Peanut oil for frying
Liberally sprinkle each piece of chicken with salt and pepper several hours before cooking. Place it in a dish, covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Be sure to do this early enough in the day, otherwise the seasoning will not penetrate.
Place flour in a plastic kitchen storage bag. When ready to cook, beat the eggs with the milk. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg mixture, then place each piece in the bag. Shake until the chicken is coated. Set the floured chicken on a plate while you heat the oil.
Pour enough oil into a cast-iron skillet (I like to use my Dutch oven) to come only halfway up the sides of the pan. This is important, as the oil rises when each piece of chicken is added . (You must be careful not to let the oil spill out while the chicken is frying; it can cause serious burns or cause a grease fire if the grease lands on a gas flame or electric cooktop.)
Turn the heat to medium high; test by adding a drop of water to the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is ready; this takes about 4-5 minutes. Place about 4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil. Allow to cook on the first side about 8 minutes, and on the second side about 6 minutes, until crispy brown. Pieces with large bones, the legs and thighs, may need an additional minute per side to be completely done. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain well on paper towels. Cook the second batch of chicken.
Leave the chicken uncovered to remain crispy. If you cover it, the crust will get soggy. It's up to you on how you like to eat it.
One Year Ago: You Will Survive
-
Featured Products
-
-
Noble Pig Men’s T-Shirt$19.00 -
-
-
Noble Pig Beanie Hat$15.00 -
-
This chicken will put the Colonel t shame for sure!! I am so going to try this. My kids will love me a whole lot more, I’m sure!!!
I am a fried chicken virgin (frying – not eating!). I think it’s time I remedied that, don’t you?
Hmm…this looks good. Really good. I’ll have to make this one some time soon!
I make another version of Pauala Deens fried chicken and it is our favorite. This looks outstanding!! Reminds me to make it again!
That chicken looks delicious! My husband bought me one of Paula’s cookbooks recently and is always asking me to cook one of her dishes. That woman has NEVER let me down. Her dishes are simple and delicious!!! Just can’t make them everyday or I’d blow up to 300 lbs!!!!!
Finger lickin’ good!!!!
You would think being a southern girl I would be a killer fried chicken fryer-NOPE! I stink. Yours looks great.
This rivals the Colonels any day Cathy.
OH, how I love fried chicken. For me, the gold-standard is Popeyes, but I’ve never been able to replicate the crust at home. Looks like you did so beautifully! I will have to give it another whirl.
I love fried chicken I just hate the mess it makes!
Oh wait, I have a brand new deep fryer I’ve never used.
Break out the mashed potatoes and gravy! Mama is makin’ THIS fried chicken!
Love fried chicken but don’t make it very often for some reason. Probably because of the mess I make in the kitchen. This looks absolutely delicious.
I have not fried chicken in so long. You have inspired me. This looks fantastic!
This is a real comfort food. Just looking at it is comforting. I can only imagine what eating it would do.
I haven’t had good fried chicken in years. This looks amazing!!
I can never manage to cook fried chicken without burning myself! Something about me and cooking oil . . .
Oh, Lawd Woman. You’re tempting me in the worst possible way. Great fried chicken is a thing of beauty… and yours is, well, just gorgeous.
No buttermilk, though?
I made pact with my husband, I do not fry chicken and he does not soak his auto parts in the bathtub. lol I dislike frying chicken because of all the splattering, so we end up getting ours at Popeye’s, Cajun style fried chicken, which is absolutely to die for. So I won’t be using this recipe, but you did a superb job of frying it and the photos were excellent. I could see those juices in the chicken meat. That crispy part of the chicken batter is the best part, of course! Looks yummy.
Well, that’s quite the deal! You are all cracking me up with the splattering. My advice is to use a large Dutch oven (high sides) with a splatter screen. I did not have one drop of oil that left the pan.
Oh my word. That looks amazing. Seriously.
Wow, I always want to fry my own chicken. Thanks for the simplicity of your recipe Cathy! They look delicious and crispy.
It has been so long since I made fried chicken… I want this now
Being from the south, growing up fried chicken was served at least once a month on “family Sundays”. Usually if the weather wasn’t cooperating for grilling. It’s so easy to do and you can control splattering not only by using a larger pot, but by controlling the temperature of the oil. If it gets too hot, the splatters and pops get so much worse. That’s your sign to turn the heat down a notch – especially when using cast iron because it hold the heat so well.
Oh my gosh. Now I will have to choose between this recipe and the one in Pioneer Woman! If this cold weather has any purpose – it’s to master a classic like fried chicken:)
So I’m a frying virgin…what do you do with the oil when you’re done???
Great idea to use self-rising flour. We like to add a tad of hot sauce to the egg mix. Also on your previous post about the BBQ- I lived in NC and your sauce is right on. Love it!
I love fried chicken!
if you can count on paula for anything, it’s fried butter and fried chicken. looks great, cathy!
Fried chicken is just a lovely thing. Looks beautifully crispy!
Holy cow, that’s so easy! And no seasoning in the flour, just flour. Looks wonderful!
The chicken looks fantastic.
I guess what you’re telling us is that you’re going to find Bert, welcome him to the family, and request that he bring plenty of this delectable chicken when he comes!
OMG that looks fabulous.
I have made this fried chicken and it is indeed divine, and I thank you for posting it! I did, however, throw up a little in my mouth when I saw the raw chicken pictures first thing this morning. My stomach and raw poultry have issues, LOL!
Oh lordy now I must fry chicken. Tomorrow.
The ultimate comfort food! It looks perfect – love the color.
Great recipe , and I love good fried chicken, I have to make this!
This looks wonderful. I don’t do fried chicken often, but I really love it. I’ll have to give this recipe a try.
The golden brown color on these fried chicken is so perfect!
Your chicken looks really good. I make fried chicken often. I salt and pepper early in the day like you. I soak mine in buttermilk and hot sauce. Then into seasoned flour and fry. I feel the buttermilk makes the chicken tender. I use a very large cast iron skillet. Growing up, there was always fried chicken every Sunday after church. I believe Bert is a lady friend of Paula Deen.
Wow.. I already bookmarked this recipe! The chicken looks so darn juicy and yummy!
Who doesn’t love crispy fried chicken! Looks so yummy!
Love the pic, its so cute. I have to have more seasoning on my chicken though, this recipe is good for a purist. A good tip for the oil is to use a thermometer. So many people ruin fried chicken by frying in oil that is too hot or too cold. If your experienced you can use the water method, I think its a bit dangerous, I use a wooden spoon handle. If the handle bubbles good, your set to go!
I do regret not learning how to cook Fried Chicken when I lived at home. I’d love to learn how for special occasions and just because I should be able to do it. Yours looks wonderful and you offer some nice tips. Maybe now’s the time!
wow! So evenly coloured and nicely crisps! Can I have a bucket?
I love love love fried chicken. I have Paula Deen’s cookbook that has this recipe in it, but haven’t tried it yet. I usually soak my chicken all day in butter milk and hot sauce and then just coat it in flour. I haven’t been brave and done eggs yet. I should!
Now I’m craving some fried chicken! This looks like a really easy recipe, and delicious!
We love fried chicken! It’s how I won my husband’s heart. tee hee
I’m gonna try this recipe and see if I can win him all over again. Not that I need to, just security. tee hee
I think I am going to use this recipe, but use my deep fryer – do you think 14 minutes at 375 would work??
Hope you are having a great weekend!!
This looks delish! I haven’t made fried chicken in ages…and I do believe when last I did that I also used a Paula Deen recipe. Have you tried her fool proof rib roast? Oh yeah-it’s fool proof and perfect every time!
I made this recipe and it is incredible. We bought a whole chicken cut up and I cut the breasts in half so they would cook evenly. I served it with cole slaw and my mother in law made her famous home made french fries. It was an exceptional meal and the fried chicken was better than any restaurant. Next time, we might add lots of cayenne for the Popeye’s effect.
I usually don’t post in blogs but your blog forced me to, because of some mystery power 徵信, 徵信社 , 婚外情 , 女ååµæŽ¢, Cheer!