Southern Fried Chicken

This is how I picture Southern food... watermelon, fried chicken, corn, grits.  I can not think of fried chicken without thinking of the South.  Kinda crazy.  It's probably all the Colonels fault.  Him and his crazy good chicken.  While I am not big on fast food at all, that is one that will tempt me once in a while.  By once in a while I mean, ever eight years or so- no lie.  But really it is always better to have it at home.  In this case, it most certainly is.  It has the peppery taste of some of the Colonels varieties and its really crunchy.

This is the first time I have ever fried chicken at home.  I had this at a friends house about five years ago and asked her for the recipe.  I finally made it. And of course I did change things up a bit. The thing is I hate deep frying.  Matter of fact I bought a deep fryer specifically so I could do this outside (and at the right temperature). Hate the mess and the smell.  Not to mention the BIG calories.  But every once in a while, I guess it is okay.


Southern Fried Chicken
I added buttermilk so I changed the name.  You can find the recipe here. Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
3 teaspoons pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, I used Lowry's seasoned salt
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups flour, divided
1 tablespoon paprika
2 eggs
2 fryer chickens cut up or chicken parts


In a plastic bag combine 2 2/3 cup flour, garlic powder, salt, paprika, 2 1/2 teaspoon pepper and poultry seasoning. 

In a shallow bowl beat eggs, buttermilk and water.  Add salt and remaining flour and pepper.  Dip chicken in egg mixture then shake in bag.  The chicken will look kinda scraggly and that is okay.  Those scraggles will be your wonderful crunchy tidbits.  I think I could have just eaten those and skipped the chicken.

Heat oil to 375F.  Cook chicken 5 to 8 minutes depending on the size of your pieces.  You want the chicken to be brown- not dark but not light either.  If you are frying in a pan be sure to turn the chiken over when browned.

This quilt pattern was in an email I recently received.  For the life of me I can not find where I got it from.  I have searched the internet to find it so I could give credit where credit is due and unfortunately have come up with nothing.  If you happen to know, let me know.