Extra-Crispy Birthday Fried Chicken with Biscuits & Milk Gravy

Every spring, along with my husband’s special (made to order!) birthday dinner, I like to share part of the springtime experience at my house. In the past, I’ve complained about the goose families (with their beautiful goslings…) and the ducks who’ve seemed to chase them away. The new development this year is that my son (and husband) have been chasing the geese away with a drone!

    

The house finches returned but have moved their nest from our entrance column to the top of our propane gas tank! BUT… The extraordinary event this year was that we have had frequent visits from a very special Night Heron. What fun!

Well, onto the food. My husband has had little variation in his birthday dinner menu request for the past several years. Although I did repeat my caesar salad and vanilla bean cheesecake recipes (his true favorites), I spiced up the celebration by trying new fried chicken and biscuit recipes. This year, he asked for double fried chicken. After researching, I realized that this really means double battered fried chicken, not literally double fried. It had the most amazing crispy and thick crust with just the right amount of spice. The birthday boy loved it! We ate leftovers for days and never tired of it. Absolutely delicious. (He may even want it again for Father’s Day!)

The chicken recipe was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Claire Saffitz. It did seem like a labor intensive recipe, and required planning in advance, but the chilling and resting times involved helped the breading adhere to the chicken meat. I doubled the recipe and pan-fried (instead of deep-frying) the chicken in Ukrainian sunflower oil. I also omitted the bourbon and used Sriracha instead of Frank’s hot sauce in the batter.

I served this indulgent meal with a side of creamy macaroni and cheese and with our new “Happy Birthday” fork! 🙂

I’m bringing this special birthday meal to share with my friends at Fiesta Friday #123 this week co-hosted by Margy @ La Petite Casserole and Linda @ La Petite Paniere. Enjoy!

Yield: Serves 8

For the Chicken:

• 4 tsp coarse salt
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 10 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

For the Assembly:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup cornstarch
• 2 T garlic powder
• 2 T onion powder
• 2 T paprika
• 4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 4 T coarse salt, plus more
• 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 4 T bourbon (optional)(I omitted it)
• 6 T hot sauce (such as Sriracha or Frank’s); plus more for serving (optional)
• 2-3 cups sunflower, peanut or other vegetable oil, for frying

Prepare the Chicken:

1. Trim chicken and dry on paper towels.
2. Mix salt, sugar, and baking powder in a small bowl. Season chicken all over with salt mixture (you may not need all of it).
3. Chill uncovered on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. (I let it sit for about 12 hours.)

Assemble the Chicken:

1. Whisk flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and 4 T salt in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk egg, buttermilk, bourbon (if using), and 3 T hot sauce in another medium bowl.
3. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, turning to coat and packing into crevices. Shake to remove excess; return to rack.
4. Pour 6 T buttermilk mixture into flour mixture and work in with your fingers.
5. Dip chicken into remaining buttermilk mixture, allow excess to drip off, then pack moistened flour mixture firmly onto chicken. Gently shake off excess; return to rack. Chill at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
6. Pour oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet, about 1/2-inch deep. Heat over medium-high until a deep fry thermometer registers 350°. (I was diligent about maintaining the temperature throughout the cooking process.)
7. Working in batches, fry two chicken thighs at a time, turning often and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until deep golden brown, about 6 minutes per batch.
8. Transfer to a wire rack set over paper towels to drain.

For the Biscuits:

This simple biscuit recipe is unlike any other I’ve made in the past. The dough is prepared and then rests at room temperature for 30 minutes. The result was wonderful! This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton.

Yield: Serves 8   Time: 1 hour

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 2 T baking powder
• 1 scant T sugar
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• 5 T cold, unsalted butter, preferably European style
• 1 cup whole milk

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Pulse flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in the bowl of a food processor (or whisk to combine in a large bowl).
3. Cut butter into pats and add to flour, then pulse 5 or 6 times until the mixture resembles rough crumbs. (Alternatively, cut butter into flour in the mixing bowl using a fork or a pastry cutter.)
4. Return dough to bowl, add milk and stir with a fork until it forms a rough ball.
5. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and pat it down into a rough rectangle, about an inch thick. Fold it over and gently pat it down again. Repeat.
6. Cover the dough loosely with a kitchen towel and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
7. Gently pat out the dough some more, so that the rectangle is roughly 10 inches by 6 inches.
8. Cut dough into biscuits using a floured glass or biscuit cutter. Do not twist cutter when cutting; this crimps the edges of the biscuit and impedes its rise.
9. Place biscuits on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake until golden brown, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

For the Milk Gravy (recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman):

• 3 T fried chicken pan drippings
• 2-3 T all-purpose flour
• 1-2 cups milk (I used 1 percent)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add pan drippings and flour. Whisk immediately. It should be smooth.
2. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to brown, 2-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
3. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Cook until desired thickness is achieved- adding more milk if desired.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cut biscuits in half and pour gravy over the top to serve.

One Year Ago:

• Coke-Brined Fried Chicken with Biscuits & Gravy

Two Years Ago:

• Baked Mustard Chicken

Three Years Ago:

• South Carolina Mustard Pulled Pork
• White Chicken Pot Pie with Biscuits

Coke-Brined Fried Chicken with Biscuits & Gravy

Springtime brings the obvious pleasures of green grass, flowers, fresh air, eating outside, etc. But every year at my house, we also have a little house finch who builds her nest (with her significant other) next to our door. She sits there so sweetly. She sings. She drives our cat crazy! 🙂

We also usually struggle with Canadian geese all over our lawn… but this year our yard has been claimed by a duck couple.  They walk side by side in conversation completely fearless of the real homeowners! They swim side by side on our pool cover. Such a nice change from the geese. I am assuming we will be welcoming ducklings soon. 🙂

Another springtime event in my world is my husband’s birthday dinner. It requires a lot of thought (on his part), a lot of cooking (on my part), and usually a lot of indulgence. This year was no exception! But, I am going to have to tell you that it was really really good.

My husband grew up in Charleston, South Carolina and has a real love for southern food. It’s just hearty and comforting – and good. 🙂 After he decided on his wish list menu, I searched far and wide for the perfect fried chicken recipe. This Coke-brined version was adapted from Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orleans, Louisiana by way of John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, Mississippi via the New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. (Credit needs to be paid when credit is due!) The Coke tenderizes the meat but also results in deep-mahogany brown, sweet, super-moist chicken. I modified the recipe to use boneless, skinless chicken thighs- of course! Delicious- and the leftovers were wonderful cold as well.

My husband’s wish list menu also included biscuits and gravy, macaroni and cheese (a side dish in the South!), caesar salad (yes- there was actually something green), and vanilla bean birthday cheesecake. (I mentioned it was an indulgent meal, right?) I made the fabulous giant biscuits I had made in the past for Fried Chicken Biscuits. Why mess with perfection? The milk gravy recipe was adapted from The Pioneer Woman.com. Yum!

This dish is the “grand finale” of my chicken thigh “festival”!! (for now, anyway…) Happy Birthday, Mr. Brookcook! 🙂

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

For the Coke-Brined Fried Chicken:

For the Brine:

• 5 cups Coca-Cola (I used 3 12-oz cans)
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
• 4 teaspoons mild hot sauce like Sriracha, Crystal, Texas Pete or Cholula
• 10 to 15 boneless skinless chicken thighs

For the Seasoned Flour:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
• 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Frying:

• 3 cups peanut oil
• 1 cup lard, optional, or replace with peanut oil

For Serving:

• Hot sauce, optional

1. Make the brine: Combine cola, salt, thyme, garlic and hot sauce in a large glass bowl and stir until the salt has dissolved. Add the chicken thighs, cover and refrigerate 3 to 5 hours. (Longer will break down the meat.)
2. Make the seasoned flour: In a wide, shallow bowl or pan, combine the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put the peanut oil in a large heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven over medium heat until it reaches 375 degrees on a candy thermometer. While the oil heats, remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. (I did this in batches.)
4. Dredge the thighs in the flour and shake to remove excess.
5. Working in batches of 2 or 3 at a time, carefully lower thighs with tongs into the hot oil. The oil temperature will plummet when the cold chicken goes into the pan; turn up the heat and carefully monitor the temperature. Cook for approximately 3 minutes on one side, 3 minutes on the other, and then a final 2 minutes on the first side. Remove to a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
6. The juices should run clear when the chicken is poked with a knife. If necessary, transfer the browned chicken to a baking sheet and bake until the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees on a instant-read thermometer. Serve hot or at room temperature with hot sauce, biscuits, and gravy, as desired.

For the Biscuits:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more
• 3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cups chilled buttermilk
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Pulse baking powder, salt, sugar, baking soda, and flour in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until the texture of coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
   
2. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in buttermilk with a fork, then gently knead just until a shaggy dough comes together.
   
3. Pat out dough on a lightly floured surface until 1¼” thick. Cut out biscuits with a 3” biscuit cutter, rerolling scraps once.
   
4. Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush tops with egg. Bake until golden brown, 20-25 minutes (on convection) or up to 30–35 minutes.

For the Milk Gravy:

• 3 T fried chicken pan drippings
• 2-3 T all-purpose flour
• 1-2 cups milk (I used 1 percent)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, add pan drippings and flour. Whisk immediately. It should be smooth.
2. Keep stirring until the mixture begins to brown, 2-3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
3. Whisk in 1 cup of milk. Cook until desired thickness is achieved- adding more milk if desired.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Cut biscuits in half and pour gravy over the top to serve.

One Year Ago:

• Margherita Pizza with 24-hour Crust
• Perfect Pizza Sauce #2
• 24-hour Pizza Dough

Two Years Ago:

• Vidalia Onion Tart

Milk-Braised Pork Loin

This pork loin was waiting in my extra freezer to be served to a crowd… but then…  my kids left the freezer door open long enough to defrost it, along with everything else in the freezer. (No more self-serve popsicles for them!) What a cooking emergency… 🙂 At least we were able to enjoy this delicious dish. The milk gravy was especially amazing. Now I will have to make this dish again for a crowd! This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Living; I doubled the garlic. We ate it with green salad and roasted potatoes and kohlrabi on the side.

Yield: Serves 8 to 10

• 1 boneless pork loin with fat cap (4 to 5 pounds)
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 sprigs sage
• 3 sprigs rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 large cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
• 5 strips fresh lemon zest (1 inch by 2 inches each; from 1 lemon)
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream

1. Season pork with 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot (it should be just large enough to fit pork) over medium-high heat. (I used a 4-quart enameled cast iron pot.) Add pork, fat side down, and sear, turning as it browns, until browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Drain fat from pot and wipe out any blackened bits.
2. Tie together sage, rosemary, and bay leaves into a bouquet with kitchen twine. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add herbs, garlic, and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
3. Return pork, fat side up, to pot, along with any accumulated juices. Pour milk and cream over pork, raise heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Partially cover pot, reduce heat, and simmer, undisturbed, until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 140 degrees, about 1 hour.
4. Transfer pork to a carving board and let rest at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium and simmer braising liquid until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 12 to 15 minutes. Discard herbs and lemon zest. Cut pork crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with milk gravy.

One Year Ago:

• Pinchos Morunos or Pork Kebabs with Moorish Seasonings
• Pork and Green Chile Stew