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Creole Fried Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "Jubilee" by Toni Tipton-Martin


Recipe Introduction

"What is it that gives Creole fried chicken that NOLA swagger? Some would argue that it's the sliced pickle and a garnish of minced garlic and parsley served with the fried chicken in chef Austin Leslie's French Quarter restaurant, Chez Helene. But Leslie omitted that popular embellishment in the printed recipe published in the 1978 edition of Creole Feast: Fifteen Master Chefs of New Orleans Reveal Their Secrets and in his own recipe catalogue, Chez Helene: House of Good Food Cookbook. So I queried other Creole authors to see what they had to say. Leah Chase soaked chicken parts in evaporated milk and added a sprinkle of dried thyme to the marinade. Queen Ida Guillory stirred a bit of baking powder into the flour before dusting the chicken to give it an extra-crispy, light crust. Between Leslie's cream-based batter and Lena Richard's 1939 recipe for chicken parts rolled in a mixture of flour batter and cracker meal, Richard's is the one I like best. It doesn't get much better than this."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
â—¦ 1 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
â—¦ 1 (3- to 4-pound) frying chicken, cut into pieces
â—¦ 2 large eggs, beaten
â—¦ ½ cup evaporated milk or half-and-half
â—¦ 1 cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 cup finely crushed cracker meal or fine dried bread crumbs
â—¦ Peanut or vegetable oil, for shallow-frying


Recipe

In a small bowl, combine the salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Place the chicken on a board and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle with half the seasoning mixture. Use your hands to rub the chicken with the seasonings, turning to coat evenly on all sides.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, evaporated milk, and 1 cup water. Pour the mixture over the chicken and mix well to thoroughly coat. Refrigerate for one to two hours to allow the flavors to soak into the chicken.

In a small paper bag, combine the flour, cracker crumbs, and the remaining seasoning mixture. Add the chicken to the bag, a few pieces at a time. Close the bag and shake to coat the pieces well. Remove the chicken to a wire rack to rest for 20 minutes.

Pour about ¾ inch oil into a heavy deep cast-iron skillet and heat to 375° F over medium-high heat. (Use a thermometer, or if a small cube of bread sizzles immediately but does not burn when dropped into the pan, the oil is ready.) Adjust the heat to maintain this temperature as needed.

Working in batches of a few pieces at a time (do not crowd the skillet), add the chicken and cook until golden brown, about 12 minutes, turning once. Drain the chicken on paper towels and serve hot.

Serves 4 to 6