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Sorghum Pecan Skillet Chicken

Source of Recipe

From "Fried Chicken" by Jessica Lang


Recipe Introduction

"This dish calls for skin-on breasts with no bones, which are somewhat hard to come by, so I recommend asking your butcher to simply remove the bones from skin-on breasts. Sorghum syrup, a Southern favorite for sweetening and adding a deeper flavor than honey, is made from boiling down the juice extracted from the stalks of sorghum cane. Drizzle it over the top of the fried chicken for a sweet note that perfectly complements the savory. Sorghum syrup and pecans have been a favorite Southern pairing for generations."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts
â—¦ 2 cups sour cream
â—¦ Pure olive oil, for frying
â—¦ 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 cup very finely chopped pecans
â—¦ 2 teaspoons salt
â—¦ 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
â—¦ 2 eggs, beaten
â—¦ Sorghum syrup, for serving


Recipe

Place each chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound each to ¾ inch thick. Transfer the chicken to a large zip-top bag and add the sour cream. Seal the bag, rub to coat the chicken, and refrigerate for 4 hours.

In a large heavy skillet, heat ½ inch of olive oil over medium heat to 325° F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Place 2 cups of the flour in a bowl. Combine the pecans, the remaining ½ cup of flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper on a large plate. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Working with two of the chicken breasts at a time, remove from the sour cream and dredge in the flour. Dip the breasts in the eggs. Lay each piece on the plate with the pecans and cover with the nut and flour mixture. Pat the meat with your fingers to help the pecans adhere. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the hot oil. Fry for 6 to 7 minutes per side, or until golden brown and juices run clear. Maintain an oil temperature of 310° to 315° F. Drain the chicken on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining pieces. Drizzle with sorghum syrup before serving.

Serves 4