It's time for another edition of Secret Recipe Club. This month I was assigned Angels Home Sweet Homestead written by April who writes about homesteading, cooking, and gardening on a budget. All topics that I love (especially the budget part)! Normally when I'm looking through someone's blog to pick a recipe it takes me a while, but this time as soon as I saw Chicken Fried Chicken and her gravy recipe, I knew I wasn't going to find anything that I wanted to make more than that!! I have only ever had this dish in a restaurant and was super excited to try making it at home (and my husband was super excited to eat it). We loved it! It turned out light, crispy, and perfectly golden. Served with mashed potatoes and green beans, it was the perfect chilly night meal - total comfort food. Next time though, I'm giving her Fluffy Southern Buttermilk Biscuits a try!
I made only half the chicken recipe for us, but I'm posting April's recipe below. If you make the full recipe you will feed a crowd! I slightly modified her gravy recipe. This is a dish you should definitely try.
Chicken fried chicken
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 sleeves of saltine crackers, crushed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper, optional, but recommended
1-1/2 cups milk
4 large eggs
oil, for frying
Milk gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Place the chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap or a heavy duty freezer bag and flatten to about 1/4-inch thick using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
On a large, deep plate, combine the saltine crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper until combined. On another large, deep plate, whisk together the milk and eggs until combined.
In a large cast iron skillet, pour a 1/2-inch of oil. Heat over medium heat until hot. Add the chicken in batches (don't crowd the pan) and cook about 10 minutes on the first side, turn and cook for about 5 more minutes. Adjust the heat and add more oil as needed.
Drain the chicken on a paper towel and then place on a baking sheet in a 225 degree oven. Repeat until all the chicken is cooked.
While the last batch of chicken is going, heat the butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. When melted, whisk in the flour. Cook for about one minute and then whisk in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Continue cooking and whisking until the gravy is thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve with mashed potatoes and a vegetable of your choice.
What was I cooking one year ago?: thick & chewy pan pizza
Two years ago?: butternut squash spaghetti carbonara
Three years ago?: Guinness chocolate cake
Four?: Mexican spiced bean & egg breakfast stacks
Five?: orange-sour cream-poppy seed loaf cake
6?: chicken gyros
Place
chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy plastic wrap, (a gallon-size
freezer baggie works great for this) and flatten to 1/4-inch thick using
a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin.
Sprinkle chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and red
pepper if using. Set aside.
Whisk together milk and eggs and set aside.
Begin by dredging chicken in the cracker crumb mixture, dip in milk
mixture, then dredge in cracker mixture again.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a frying pan, and heat over medium
heat. Fry chicken in batches, do not crowd, for 10 minutes on the first
side.
Turn chicken over and continue frying for 5 minutes more, or until
golden brown. Add more oil as needed.
Keep chicken warm in a 225 degree oven as you fry the rest of the
chicken. - See more at:
http://www.angelshomesweethomestead.com/2013/06/chicken-fried-chicken.html#sthash.j2ecG6zR.dpuf
Place
chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy plastic wrap, (a gallon-size
freezer baggie works great for this) and flatten to 1/4-inch thick using
a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin.
Sprinkle chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and red
pepper if using. Set aside.
Whisk together milk and eggs and set aside.
Begin by dredging chicken in the cracker crumb mixture, dip in milk
mixture, then dredge in cracker mixture again.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a frying pan, and heat over medium
heat. Fry chicken in batches, do not crowd, for 10 minutes on the first
side.
Turn chicken over and continue frying for 5 minutes more, or until
golden brown. Add more oil as needed.
Keep chicken warm in a 225 degree oven as you fry the rest of the
chicken. - See more at:
http://www.angelshomesweethomestead.com/2013/06/chicken-fried-chicken.html#sthash.j2ecG6zR.dpuf
Place
chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy plastic wrap, (a gallon-size
freezer baggie works great for this) and flatten to 1/4-inch thick using
a meat mallet or heavy rolling pin.
Sprinkle chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper and set aside.
Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and red
pepper if using. Set aside.
Whisk together milk and eggs and set aside.
Begin by dredging chicken in the cracker crumb mixture, dip in milk
mixture, then dredge in cracker mixture again.
Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a frying pan, and heat over medium
heat. Fry chicken in batches, do not crowd, for 10 minutes on the first
side.
Turn chicken over and continue frying for 5 minutes more, or until
golden brown. Add more oil as needed.
Keep chicken warm in a 225 degree oven as you fry the rest of the
chicken. - See more at:
http://www.angelshomesweethomestead.com/2013/06/chicken-fried-chicken.html#sthash.j2ecG6zR.dpuf
Chicken schnitzel is my favorite kind of schnitzel. And it looks great with that creamy gravy on top.
ReplyDeleteI am for sure going to try this! I don't usually use saltines for chicken but it sounds great and I think the kids would like it! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou did an amazing job on the recipes! I need to make this again soon for my family, it's been awhile. Thank you for your kind comments too, you are so sweet! :)
ReplyDeleteMMMM.... That looks so good!!
ReplyDeleteYum! Looks so good. My hubby likes chicken fried steak
ReplyDeleteWho doesn't love fried chicken and milk gravy? This recipe looks and sounds wonderful. Great SRC post!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea of making chicken with milk gravy. Sounds and look fantastic, Amy!
ReplyDeleteLooks delicious and who doesn't love chicken and gravy! Great recipe!
ReplyDeleteYum! Although I do not like to fry food...this fired chicken just look so good...especially with the saltine coat and the gravy..
ReplyDeleteHave a great week Amy :)
wow... it's looks very nice :)
ReplyDeleteGotta have the cayenne in the chicken-fried anything. Always tastes better with that zing, don't you think? Love this! Now I'm itching to make some milk gravy! :-)
ReplyDeletewhat a great recipe! looks so good :)
ReplyDeleteI had no idea what chicken fried chicken was until we moved to north carolina!! This looks fantastic!!
ReplyDeleteHi there! This just looks like the ultimate comfort food dinner. I mean, who really needs Cracker Barrel? Ok, sometimes I do, but whatever. I would have never guessed the crunch factor is coming from saltine crackers, love that!
ReplyDeleteI've not tried making this dish myself yet, either. Sounds like a good idea, though! I'll be saving this one.
ReplyDeleteYour recipe looks so great, I'm thinking of trying it myself. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteDear Amy, hope all is well with you and that you are taking the best care of you possible!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a wonderful dinner recipe and a real crowd pleaser - who doesn´t like fried chicken, gravy and mashed potatoes?! You did a wonderful job with your presentation!
All the very best!
Andrea
i love dishes like this--so filling and comforting! your gravy looks perfect. nice choice and excellent execution!
ReplyDeleteI miss SRC and discovering great recipes like this chicken.
ReplyDeleteMmmmmm milk gravy..... ;) PINNED!
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of using saltines to bread fried chicken, but I love the idea.
ReplyDelete