Pats Southern Fried Chicken Recipes

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roll in flour.
• Add 1/2 to 3/4 inch oil to a large, heavy skillet. Heat to approximately 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place chicken pieces in hot oil. Cover, and fry until golden, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200 F and place a rack in a large baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Whisk to blend well.
• In a large heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons salt, and pepper. Seal and shake to combine.
• Dip the chicken pieces in the milk and egg mixture and let excess drip off into the bowl. Set already dipped pieces aside on a plate until you have three or four.
• Add the dipped chicken pieces to the bag of seasoned flour.
• Seal the bag and shake well to coat the chicken pieces thoroughly.
• Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
• Heat the oil in a deep, heavy skillet to 350 F. While it's heating up, set aside a large serving plate lined with paper towels.
• Fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, for about 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Be careful not to put too many chicken pieces in at once-even if they can comfortably fit-since this will dramatically drop the temperature of the oil, affecting the crispness of the final product. Note that chicken breasts will take a little less time than dark meat pieces.
• With a slotted spoon, move the done chicken pieces onto the paper towel-lined platter to drain. Sprinkle immediately with salt.
• Transfer the drained and seasoned chicken to the prepared pan with a rack. Keep warm in the preheated oven while frying subsequent batches. Depending on the size of your pan, this recipe will require about 3 to 4 batches.

PAT AND GINA'S OVEN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Fit a sheet tray with a wire rack and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a pie plate or shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, mustard, honey, hot sauce, and salt and pepper, to taste, together until thoroughly combined.
• Add the panko, salt and pepper, to taste, the paprika, cayenne, and garlic powder to another pie plate and whisk to combine.
• Dredge the chicken through the wet mixture, then the dry mixture, patting the breading on so it adheres. Arrange on a wire rack lined sheet tray, making sure there is ample space between each piece of chicken. Give the chicken a spritz of the olive cooking spray. This will help brown and crisp up the coating.
• Put on the upper rack of the oven and bake until the chicken is golden and crisp. The temperature should register 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

PAT'S SPICY FRIED WINGS

Steps:

• In a small bowl whisk together seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cayenne pepper, poultry seasoning, and lemon pepper. Reserve 2 tablespoons in a separate bowl.
• Rinse chicken wings in cold water and place into a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle the wings evenly with the seasoning, and let them marinate, covered and chilled, for 1 hour.
• Whisk eggs, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and cayenne pepper into a medium size mixing bowl. Reserve. Put the flour into a shallow dish or pie plate.
• In a large deep-fryer or large Dutch oven heat oil to 350 degrees F on a deep-fat thermometer.
• Dredge chicken wings into the egg mixture then into the flour. Place wings 3 at a time into the hot oil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined sheet tray. Make sure oil returns to temperature before adding the next batch. Sprinkle the wings with the reserved seasoning for extra hot wings.
• Serve with Spicy Dipping Sauce.
• Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

BEST SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and milk. In another bowl, combine flour and seasonings. Dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then in flour mixture. , In a large skillet; brown chicken in oil on both sides. Cover and cook the chicken over low heat for 45 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove chicken from the skillet; keep warm. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in skillet. , For gravy, stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Cook and stir over medium heat for 5 minutes or until browned. Combine milk and water; add to skillet. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add browning sauce if desired. Serve with chicken. Garnish with oregano if desired.

REAL SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk 2 cups buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Meanwhile, place remaining buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and remaining salt and pepper. Place half of flour mixture in another shallow bowl (for a second coat of breading). Drain chicken, discarding marinade; pat chicken dry. Dip in flour mixture to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in buttermilk, allowing excess to drain off. For the second coat of breading, dip chicken in remaining flour mixture, patting to help coating adhere., Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned and juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.

PAT'S SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut up the chicken, setting aside the back, neck, and organ meat to make stock for other recipes. Cut the last joint off the wing tips too and add to chicken parts for stock. (Obviously, you can buy a whole fryer already cut up if you wish. You can trim excessive skin and some fat but leave the main part of the skin on each piece of chicken!
• Carefully dry each piece of chicken with a paper towel. Pour 1 cup of flour into a paper bag and dust each piece of chicken, one at a time, by shaking it in the bag. Set all this chicken aside on a tray and let it sit until the "whiteness" fades (about 30 minutes).
• Beat the eggs with a fork or whisk in a wide shallow bowl. Add the buttermilk to the eggs and beat for another few seconds and set aside.
• On a large platter or plate, mix together the two cups of flour, baking soda, pepper, salt, basil, Old Bay and oregano; set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• On the stovetop, in a large skillet, heat the Crisco until it is very hot, about 375° (Your chicken should really crackle and sizzle when it goes into the oil -- if not, then the oil is too cold!).
• "Drench" each piece of chicken in the buttermilk/egg mix, allow it to mostly drip off, and then "dredge" it in the flour mix until it is evenly coated. As each piece is coated, place it into the hot oil. DO NOT CROWD THE CHICKEN! You may have to make two or three batches, depending upon your skillet size, so don't drench and dredge until you are ready to fry each piece.
• Fry the chicken to a golden brown on each side, turning it once. As the chicken comes out of the skillet, place each piece on a baking sheet (make sure that it has sides -- some grease will drain off the chicken as it bakes).
• When all the chicken has been fried up and placed on the baking sheet, place it into the pre-heated 375° oven UNCOVERED for 40 minutes.
• After the chicken comes out of the oven, allow it to "rest" for 10-15 minutes and then serve.

CLASSIC SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine chicken, buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl. Stir until chicken is well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Combine flour, 2 teaspoons salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Working with one piece at a time, remove from the marinade and allow excess to drip off. Coat evenly in the flour mixture, and set on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pour oil into a large Dutch oven to a depth of 1 inch. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Add a few chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook, turning once or twice, until golden brown on the outside, no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Maintain the oil temperature around 320 degrees F (160 degrees C) during cooking. Remove chicken to a clean wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Return oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and repeat to fry remaining chicken.
• Serve immediately.

PAT'S SOUTHERN-FRIED PANFISH

Steps:

• Allow the fillets to marinade in salt water (use all the quart of water except for 4 tablespoons), using the table salt, for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
• After marination, pat the fillets very dry with paper towels. Pour one cup of the flour into a small paper bag and drop in the fillets, one at a time, and coat them lightly, shaking off any excess flour. Reserve this flour for later use. Lay the fillets out on a piece of wax paper and allow them to sit for 20 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat the shortening until a few small drops of water crackle loudy in it.
• Using a fork or whisk, beat the eggs and the 4 tablespoons of water together in a medium-sized bowl for at least 20 seconds and set aside. This will be your "drench".
• Mix together the flour from the bag, all remaining flour (1 cup), the kosher salt, the corn meal and the white pepper on a platter. This will be your "dredge".
• Prepare one fillet at a time for frying by first dipping it in the egg "drench". Allow most of this to drip off and then dredge it in the flour mix on both sides. Shake very lightly to remove any notable hunks of flour and corn meal.
• Carefully lay each fillet into the very hot shortening. If it does not begin to fry immediately, your shortening is not hot enough! Do not crowd the fillets in the skillet -- do as many batches as necessary to accommodate this.
• Allow each fillet to fry until lightly browned on the first side and then carefully turn it to the other side. When each fillet is lightly browned on both sides (about 7-10 minutes total), the fish is done. It should be very white and flakey in the thickest part of the fillet.
• Serve with ketchup and/or tartar sauce as an entree, or, on sandwiches.

PAT'S SPICY FRIED WINGS

Steps:

• Combine ingredients for dipping sauce and chill for 30 minutes or more to incorporate flavors.
• Whisk together the seasoning salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cayenne pepper, poultry seasoning and lemon pepper, reserving 2 tablespoons separately.
• Rinse chicken wings in cold water, pat dry, and place in a shallow baking sheet. Sprinkle with the seasoning and let them marinate, refrigerated and covered with plastic wrap, for 1 hour.
• Whisk eggs, hot sauce, red pepper flakes, black pepper and cayenne pepper into a mixing bowl and set aside. Place flour in a shallow plate.
• Heat cooking oil for deep frying to 350°F.
• When the oil is hot, dredge chicken wings first in the egg mixture then the flour. Fry in small batches for 8-10 minutes, being careful not to crowd, turning occasionally, until cooked through and golden. Drain on paper toweling or brown paper bags, sprinkling with reserved spice for added spice level if desired.
• When oil reheats to 350F, add a few more wings to the fryer. Repeat until all wings are cooked.
• Serve with spicy dipping sauce.

SOUTHERN-STYLE BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, salt and pepper, and cayenne in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in the other plastic bag. Shake to mix thoroughly. Transfer one marinated chicken piece at a time into the dry ingredient bag, and shake well to ensure complete coverage. After all chicken pieces are coated, repeat the process by dipping them in the buttermilk marinade and shaking in the dry coating again.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn the oil. When oil is hot, fry chicken in batches until golden brown and juices run clear, turning chicken to brown evenly.