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Nathalie's Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

Source of Recipe

From "Fried Chicken" by Jessica Lang


Recipe Introduction

"There are two women who have guided me down the path of fried chicken passion: my grandmother and Nathalie Dupree. Nathalie is my mentor, close friend, cheerleader, confidante, and a driving force in my life. I don't think I would be immersed in the world of food without her. This recipe is from Nathalie's book Southern Memories. She covers her chicken so the meat steams from the inside out. And she uses curry or cayenne pepper in her flour, never both."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 chicken (about 2 pounds, 8 ounces), cut into 8 pieces
â—¦ 2 cups buttermilk
â—¦ Vegetable shortening, for frying
â—¦ 2 cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ ½ teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 teaspoon curry powder, or ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cream Gravy:
â—¦ ½ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 2 ½ cups chicken broth, heated
â—¦ â…“ cup heavy cream
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper


Recipe

Place the chicken and buttermilk in a large zip-top bag. Seal the bag, rub to coat the chicken, and set aside for 30 minutes.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the shortening over medium heat to 365° F. It should be 1 ½ inches deep when melted. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper, and the curry powder.

Remove the chicken from the bag, discarding the buttermilk. Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. Working in two batches, carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, skin side down. Cover the pan and fry for 10 minutes, checking once after 5 minutes for over-browning. Turn the chicken and cook, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Drain the chicken on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

To make the cream gravy, carefully pour off the fat from the pan and set it aside (a clean metal coffee can works well for this purpose). Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the browned pieces and return 6 tablespoons reserved fat back into the pan. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes. Slowly add the hot broth, bring to a boil, and whisk constantly the sauce is thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and whisk until warmed. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Serves 4