Fried Chicken With Bacon And Pepper Cream Gravy
Serves: 5
Eloise Gerhold
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
47
Spice
40
Sweetness
53
Sourness
39
mins
Prep time (avg)
4
Difficulty
Ingredients:
3 cups
Buttermilk (well-shaken)1 large
Onion (thinly sliced)2 tsps
Hot Sauce (such as tabasco)4 tsps
All-Purpose Flour2 tsps
Paprika1 tsp
Cayenne3 cups
Vegetable Oil2 cups
Whole MilkDirections:
1
Marinate chicken: Toss chicken with buttermilk, onion, Tabasco, and 2 teaspoons salt
2
Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, at least 12 hours
3
Toss chicken with buttermilk, onion, Tabasco, and 2 teaspoons salt
4
Marinate chicken, covered and chilled, at least 12 hours
5
Coat and fry chicken: Put flour, paprika, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a paper or plastic bag and shake to combine well
6
Drain chicken well in a colander, discarding marinade and onions, then shake chicken in bag, 1 piece at a time, to coat well
7
Knock off excess flour and transfer to a sheet of wax paper
8
Let chicken air-dry 30 minutes
9
Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle
10
Set a cooling rack in a large shallow baking pan
11
Meanwhile, cook bacon in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp
12
Transfer to rack in baking pan and keep warm in oven
13
Scrape up brown bits from bottom of skillet with a spatula and strain bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving bits in sieve
14
Wipe skillet clean and add strained bacon fat
15
Add enough oil to measure 1/2 inch fat in skillet and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat
16
Fry chicken 4 pieces at a time (keep each batch all white meat or all dark meat), skin sides down first, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden-brown and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes for breasts and wings; 10 to 12 minutes for drumsticks and thighs
17
Transfer chicken to rack with bacon and keep warm in oven
18
Return fat to 350°F between batches and reserve after frying
19
Put flour, paprika, cayenne, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper in a paper or plastic bag and shake to combine well
20
Drain chicken well in a colander, discarding marinade and onions, then shake chicken in bag, 1 piece at a time, to coat well
21
Knock off excess flour and transfer to a sheet of wax paper
22
Let chicken air-dry 30 minutes
23
Preheat oven to 250°F with rack in middle
24
Set a cooling rack in a large shallow baking pan
25
Meanwhile, cook bacon in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until browned and crisp
26
Transfer to rack in baking pan and keep warm in oven
27
Scrape up brown bits from bottom of skillet with a spatula and strain bacon fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, reserving bits in sieve
28
Wipe skillet clean and add strained bacon fat
29
Add enough oil to measure 1/2 inch fat in skillet and heat to 350°F over medium-high heat
30
Fry chicken 4 pieces at a time (keep each batch all white meat or all dark meat), skin sides down first, turning occasionally with tongs, until golden-brown and cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes for breasts and wings; 10 to 12 minutes for drumsticks and thighs
31
Transfer chicken to rack with bacon and keep warm in oven
32
Return fat to 350°F between batches and reserve after frying
33
Make gravy: Strain frying fat through sieve into a bowl, then return 1 tablespoon fat and all brown bits in sieve to skillet
34
(Discard remaining frying fat once cool
35
) Whisk in flour and cook roux over medium heat, whisking, 1 minute
36
Whisk in milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, whisking, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes
37
Serve chicken with gravy and bacon
38
Strain frying fat through sieve into a bowl, then return 1 tablespoon fat and all brown bits in sieve to skillet
39
(Discard remaining frying fat once cool
40
) Whisk in flour and cook roux over medium heat, whisking, 1 minute
41
Whisk in milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil, whisking, then simmer, whisking, until thick, 3 to 5 minutes
42
Serve chicken with gravy and bacon
43
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