Nana's Fried Chicken

Ahhhh, Nana's fried chicken. So many memories of her wonderful fried chicken. I remember her old square sunbeam electric frying pan. She would pack it up, along with potato salad, chocolate cake, and some bread and off we would go to cook lunch at the barn for Papa when he was farming in Queen Creek. Everything went on a table he had up in the barn and she would fry chicken. When it was done, she would make her wonderful chicken gravy and we would tear up a piece of bread and put that milk gravy over the top. Holidays like the 4th of July, Easter, Father's Day, etc. were often fried chicken with all the trimmings. She made awesome mashed potatoes too. I made fried chicken today for our house full of sickies. It is the second most often requested birthday dinner from the grandkids. I found myself thinking of Nana's advice when I was learning how to make fried chicken, so I thought I would post her tried and true method.

She would start with a cut up frying chicken. We most often use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but I still think chicken tastes better when I do it with the bones in it. She would do a whole batch of legs once in while as Papa really likes dark meat.

Of course the chicken was always washed clean and salted and peppered. Then she would get out a paper sack, put about a cup of flour in it and drop a few chicken pieces in it. Gather up the top of the sack, and shake it a few times. Now coated in flour, put it in a skillet with some hot oil in it. I now use extra virgin olive oil, Crisco Vegetable Oil, or whatever else you like will do. I put the heat on medium and let it heat up before putting the chicken in. I also use a bowl with flour in it, or even a ziplock to dredge the chicken in as paper sacks are hard to come by these days. I occasionally put a little powdered garlic in with the flour for our tastes.

Nana always said to brown the chicken light brown on both sides and then put a lid on the skillet so the inside of the chicken would get done. I assume the steam created by the lid on would cook the chicken through. Don't put it all the way on the pan though. Set it cock-eyed so there is still air getting into the pan. If the lid goes all the way on, too much steam is created and the crusty part of the chicken comes off in the pan leaving you with naked fried chicken. Not good. As she acquired good pans, she moved from the electric skillets to a good stainless steel frying pan with a heavy bottom. The chicken really browns well in those kinds of pans, and some are even called chicken fryers.

She always said to make sure the chicken is on the fire for at least 30 minutes so it is done all the way through. If the chicken is done, but not as brown as you want it, take the lid all the way off and let the chicken get brown. I turn it often so both sides get really brown.

I love all the little crunchies that get left in the pan that make the gravy so good. Once the chicken is all done and out of the pan, turn the heat up a little and if you need to deglaze the pan, now is the time. Just put a little water in the pan and it will loosen all the crunchies that might be stuck to the bottom of the pan. I use the dredging flour to add to the chicken drippings. Brown the flour good and add some milk. I keep adding flour and milk (sometimes some McCormick Chicken Gravy Mix I keep on hand for more chicken flavor) until I get enough gravy to make me happy. Milk will thicken the gravy and water will thin it. If you have the quantity you need, but it is too thick, just add a little water. Salt and Pepper it and you are done.

I have made many memories over the years with my kids and fried chicken. I know it has been on many a lake trip, many 4th of July dinners, lots of Sunday dinners and is very often the choice of grandkids for their birthday dinner. Today it was comfort food for the sickos in the house that are trying to get better. I wish I had thought to take some pics, but I didn't.

Simple stuff. I love that it is something she taught us to love. I will never forget those days eating chicken for lunch with my dad on the farm. She always went "to the trouble" to do those things for us.