We have had a little down time for the first few weeks of the year which gives us a chance to do some cleaning, organizing and began to put in place our goals for the new year. We have also been trying some fried chicken recipes that I have been wanting to try from two new books I got for Christmas and we have been working on some ourselves. 

I love FRIED CHICKEN hands down I can easily say it is my favorite thing to eat.  Of course some places are better then others and I do have places that are in my option the best places to eat FRIED CHICKEN.  Now there are some places I have yet to try and this small list could change once I have the opertunity to try them but for now these are my favorite places to eat FRIED CHICKEN!!

1. Carries – Plantersville SC – This no surprise to anyone who knows me I talk about their chicken all the time.

2. Price’s Chicken Coop – Charlotte NC – This is no frills place that is take out only and not only is the FRIED CHICKEN  good but the chicken gizzards are good also.

3. Earl Dukes – Orangeburg SC – Of course the Barbeque is great but the FRIED CHICKEN is really good also.

4. Zender’s in Frankenmuth MI- I know what you’re saying Michigan?? But something about that chicken keeps you up at night craving it.

Now I have wanted to go to Gus’s in Mason Ten., I hear it is the best and I want to try Dave’s take out in Charleston SC and I have always wondered what the big deal is about the Honey Fried Chicken at Yogi Bear’s in Hartsville SC so these are the places I want to try!

If you have a favorite place or have been to any of the places I have listed leave me a note and tell me about it.

Bellow are some of the recipes we have been trying out.

1. David Chang’s recipe from his Momofuku Cookbook is not a traditional southern fried chicken but Korean Style fried chicken which was really good.  You brine the chicken in a simple brine and then steam it for about 40min. and then fry it (No Flour) for about 6-7min and then toss it in this sauce he calls Octo sauce which is ginger, soy and garlic and a few other things (If you want to know go get the book) and you let the octo sauce sep in and its very good.

2.  The next chicken we did was Thomas Keller’s Fried Chicken from his book Ad Hoc at Home.  This chickens brine was more entailed and it brined for 12 hours and then it his seasoned flour, buttermilk and then seasoned flour again and then fried at a lower tep. 320 degrees.  Now I am not bad mouthing one of the greatest if not THE greatest Chef in  the Country but I am not a big fan of double dipped chicken but on the flip side of it the chicken was very very juicy but still too much crust.

Now the two recipes we have made and like are:

2 Chickens cut into 10 pieces

2 qt. of Dill Pickle Juice from the jar strained

4 cups AP flour

4 cups Crackermeal

1 cup Garlic Powder

1 cup Onion Powder

3 tab. Cayenne  Pepper

3 tab. Black Pepper

3 tab. Kosher Salt

Brine the Chicken in the Pickle juice for 12-14 hours ( Now I got this idea from my friend and who is a chef – Brian Owenby who brines in pickle juice all the time and come to find out Chick – Fil-a does the same thing with their chicken breast so if it good enough for them) in the refrigerator.

After Chicken has brined pull out and discard the pickle juice and wash the chicken and set on a rack and place it back into the refrigerator so it can dry 2-3 hours. Mix the flour and spices and pre heat your frying oil to 340 degrees. Pull Chicken out of the refrigerator 1 hour before frying and then dip it in the buttermilk and then into the flour mix and place in the fryer and fry untill it is golden brown and once it floats its done but the best thing to have is a thermometer to check to make sure its 16o degrees.

We really liked this one a lot it was very juicy and had a twang to the meat from the pickle juice,  the crisp on the outside was light,  it was really good.

The Next is:

2 Chickens Cut into 10 pieces

2 qts. Milk

1 qt. Chicken Stock

2 tab. Pepper Corns

12 bay leaves

4 sprigs of Thyme

4 Cloves Garlic Smashed

Take the milk and chicken stock and everything else and mix it together and bring to a 180 degrees.  Add the chicken and poach at 180 degrees for 25min.  ( This idea of Milk Poaching the chicken came from Zender’s when I toured their kitchen, now I dont know what else goes in their chicken flour or poaching liquid except the milk is all I saw).  Once the chicken is poachedpull from the poaching liquid and remove any peppercorns or bay leaves that might have stuck on the chicken and  mix the chicken with the same flour mix as above and fry at 360 for 6-8min.  pull out and let drain and cool for at least 10min. and enjoy.

Now we did not like this one as good as the brined chicken but it was still good.

Again if you have any Ideas on place to go let me know or if you try one of my places or the FRIED CHICKEN recipes leave me a message and let me know!!