.fried chicken.

It isn't very often I make fried chicken because it can be such a messy task. But lately I've been craving it and thought tonight I'd make some.


Yesterday I cut up the chicken (I'll have to show you guys how to cut up a whole chicken. It takes a little time, but it saves you a lot of money.) and put it in some buttermilk, tabasco, and cayenne. The buttermilk tenderizes the meat and the tabasco and cayenne soak into the skin giving it a little kick. If you want really spicy chicken, add a lot of both. After it marinates, dump into a colander and let the buttermilk drain off.





In three separate dishes, put together your coatings. In dish #1, I put flour, McCormick's Season All, and thyme. In dish #2, I have whisked eggs. In dish #3, I have flour and crushed butter crackers and salt and pepper.








Take each piece of chicken and coat with the seasoned flour in dish #1.








Then dredge in the egg wash in dish #2.











Then we put the chicken in dish #3 and coat it with some flour and crushed crackers. You can use crushed corn flakes or just flour, or flour and cornmeal. Whatever tickles your fancy!










Put your coated chicken in a skillet of hot oil. Not too high otherwise you'll burn the poor things. I have my oil on a medium-high heat. Not too hot!







Fry on both sides and then pull from the oven and put on a rack on top of a baking sheet (to catch the oil).

Put the chicken still on the rack, in a 350* oven for about 1/2 hour.

Serve with smashed potatoes and veggie and biscuits. Lots of biscuits. :)