Grandma Jean's Fried Chicken
My grandmother Jean Stanley's signature chicken dish with homemade gravy!
Servings: 16 pieces
Ingredients
- 2 (2 ½ -3 lbs. ea.) whole fryer chickens cut into pieces
- 1 quart buttermilk
- 2 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. paprika
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Peanut oil or shortening for frying
- 3 T. drippings
- 3 T. all-purpose flour
- 2 c. milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cut, wash and pat dry chicken. In a large bowl, pour buttermilk over chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
- Combine flour and seasonings in a brown paper or plastic bag, shake to combine.
- Heat a deep skillet to 335 degrees, add enough oil or shortening to fill the skillet 1 ½ to 2-inches deep. Take chicken pieces out of buttermilk and allow excess to drip back into bowl. Put a few pieces of chicken in the bag, shake to coat evenly. Fry chicken in a single layer, cooking in batches, do not over crowd. Cook 8-10 minutes on each side.
- Place fried chicken on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack to remove excess oil, season with more salt & pepper if desired. If necessary, add more oil and continue until all of chicken is cooked. Discard buttermilk.
- To make Gravy: Drain off all but about 3 tablespoons of oil, leaving all the browned bits from chicken. Stir in 3 tablespoons flour and stir over medium heat until flour is browned. Stir in 2 cups milk, cook and stir until thickened, season to taste with salt and pepper.
Notes
Cook’s Note: Grandma always soaked her chicken in buttermilk overnight and cooked it in cast iron skillets, over medium heat.
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