Fried Pickled Chicken Strips
I know what y'all are thinking, that boy done lost his mind.
Actually I am not reinventing the wheel here. This is an old southern way of marinating chicken, pork too, that goes back long before we had refrigeration. It is also the basis for a certain chicken chain way of doing it too. This is just my take on it.
Nothing new with chicken strips bathed in buttermilk, battered and coated in a seasoned flour either. I basically used Annie Bell's Fried Chicken recipe from our family's cookbook tweaking the cooking time just a bit.
Perfect for game day. Make up a batch, grab a six-pack, settle in a comfy recliner and get ready for a great start to football season, which happens tonight here in SEC country.
Enjoy!
Fried Pickled Chicken Strips
cut into nuggets too
3 or 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breast
about 2 cups leftover tangy pickle juice
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
2 tablespoons Season-All, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons corn meal
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
vegetable shortening for frying
Cut each breast into 1-inch strips lengthwise. Place in a non-reactive container or bag and add the pickle juice. Seal and refrigerate over night or for 24 hours.
Remove from juice and shake off any pickling seeds or spices. Nothing worse that biting into a fried clove or bay leaf.
In a container, mix buttermilk, eggs, 1-tablespoon Season-All well. Set aside.
In another container, mix the flour, cornmeal, black pepper and remaining 1-tablespoon Season-All. Set aside.
Place the chicken strips into the buttermilk and let rest for about an hour. Remove one at a time allowing the buttermilk to drip off and roll into the flour mixture. Place on a wire rack and continue coating the rest of the chicken strips. Allow chicken to rest about 5 minutes and repeat a second time coating well in the flour mixture only.
Heat about an inch of oil over medium high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. Add a few strips at a time, not overcrowding the strips and cook about 2 minutes before flipping the strips over. Continue cooking until golden brown. Remove to a second wire rack to drain. Repeat with remaining strips until all are cooked.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. We like a spicy mustard with this one.
Note: I used the left-over pickle brine from my Pickled Asparagus ~ it was a most exhilarating taste experience.
I happen to have leftover buttermilk from another recipe...hmmmmm...ought i to have fried chicken again so soon?! Why not.
ReplyDeleteHey, I hope you aren't getting too much rain from Isaac. We had a weekend of blue sky but otherwise, it's nothing but rain, and lots of it heavy.
Stay dry if ya can!!
At first it didn't sound too good, but then after reading all about it... now I really want to try it. I do have some buttermilk left from the bicuits and gravy!
ReplyDeleteI think this sounds incredibly interesting. A must try. What I've learned from this post is letting the chicken rest in the buttermilk for an hour. I've just been dipping and frying.
ReplyDeleteWhen a dish was really good my mother would say " this is so good it'll make your hips hang!" Well Drick I can see that happening with this one!
ReplyDeleteWell, you got me on this one! I have never heard of pickled chicken. But dang if it don't sound good.
ReplyDeleteBeen thinking of y'all a lot with Isaac in your neighborhood. Hope it wasn't too bad for you.
I love fried chicken—who doesn't—but pickling chicken is something that would never have occurred to me in a million years! But it makes sense, now that you point it out.
ReplyDelete