So it's chicken you want? Fine, then it's chicken you'll get. This is what we cooked last night:
Buttermilk-brined Fried Chicken
3 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup coarse salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken pieces (drumsticks, breasts, thighs)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
Cooking Oil
1. For brine, in a resealable plastic bag set in a bowl combine the 3 cups buttermilk, the coarse salt, and sugar. Cut chicken breasts in half crosswise. It's important to do this with the thighs as well, if your pieces are pretty big. Add all chicken pieces to the brine, store refrigerated - still in brine - for 2 hours. Drain chicken; pat dry with paper towels. Discard brine.
2. In a large bowl stir together flour, the 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Place the 3/4 cup buttermilk in a shallow dish. Coat chicken with flour mixture, dip in the buttermilik, and coat again with flour mixture.
3. Meanwhile, in a deep, heavy Dutch oven, kettle, or deep-fat fryer heat 1 1/2 inches oil to 350 degrees Farenheit. We actually just filled up our fryer reservoir and submerged the chicken, foregoing the 1 1/2 inches rule.Using tongs, carefully add a few pieces of chicken to the hot oil. (Oil temperature will drop; try and maintain at 325 F.) Fry chicken for approx. 12-15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and coating is golden, turning once if not fully submerged. Drain on a wire rack or on paper towels.
Rice and Vegetable Pilaf
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
1/3 cup onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1/2 cup uncooked regular brown rice
1/3 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed and drained
1 14-ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded zucchini or frozen peas
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted
1. In a medium saucepan cook mushrooms, onion, and garlic in hot butter about 10 minutes or until tender. Stir in brown and wild rice. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Carefully add chicken broth. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 45-50 minutes or until rices are tender and most of the liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in peas, carrot, and black pepper. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in walnuts.
We ended up substituting the brown and wild rice with plain old long-grain white rice. This time, however, their was no negative consequence. Not like that stupid crunchy risotto. That stupid, crunchy, delicious risotto. It is dead to me. Also, we opted for peas instead of zucchini, because we had peas, and we didn't have zucchini. You see? 1+1 really does equal 2.
We had a little bit of a problem getting the chicken cooked all the way through in the really big pieces, which is why I suggest you trim your pieces down to more manageable sizes. Also, with the temperature we were at, and the duration which we had the pieces in the oil, the skin came out a little crispier than I normally prefer; not bad at all, just a preference thing. The flavor of this chicken was really good. Don't short change your brine time. That's what makes it taste so good. Ring the bell!
