FRIED CHICKEN–ALMOST

Lots of times, a good roast chicken takes the measure of a good cook—get that whole bird right and everyone thinks you wrote the cookbook. Down our way, things are more likely to be measured by the fried chicken that lands on the table. Think of those kitchen scenes from Driving Miss Daisy and The Help, where practiced hands can break your heart, they make it look so easy.

But by the time you drag out Great Aunt Sister’s seasoned, 14”, 12-pound frying pan, cold-brine the chicken, chill it overnight in a buttermilk bath, find all the seasonings for the flour dip, and decide between Crisco and peanut oil, it’s already tomorrow.

Here’s where the “fried chicken–almost” comes in. Yup, it’s from another one of those treasured cookbooks—“Best Recipes—From the Backs of Boxes, Bottles, Cans and Jars”.

Oven Fried Chicken
• Heat oven to 425’
• Melt ½ stick butter in good sized glass –place in oven
• Put 2 cups of seasoned Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix in plastic bag, and run rolling pin over contents to break up large crumbs
• Beat 1 egg with 1 tblsp water
• By now, butter should be melted and bubbling—remove from oven
• Dip chicken pieces, 2 at a time, in egg mixture
• Place in plastic bag and shake to coat with crumbs
• Lay each piece in butter in hot pan—single layer only
• Bake uncovered for 30 minutes
• Turn each piece carefully and bake for 15 more minutes

By now the kitchen smells heavenly—about an hour and you’re done!

The Kitchen Hive