Peppery Chicken Fried Chicken Food

FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl or baking dish, whisk together 1 quart of the buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 teaspoons of chile de arbol powder, or hot sauce, and a little bit of pepper, if desired. Add the chicken pieces, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• Place the remaining 2 cups of buttermilk in a bowl. Stir together the flour, garlic and onion powders, paprika, and 2 teaspoons chile de arbol powder (or cayenne) in a large bowl. Divide flour mixture among 2 shallow platters and season generously with salt and pepper. Drain the chicken in a colander and pat it dry. Dredge the pieces a few at a time in the flour mixture and pat off excess, then dip in the buttermilk and allow excess to drain off. Dredge in the second plate of flour and pat off the excess. Put the chicken pieces on a piece of waxed paper or on a clean platter while you heat the oil.
• Pour about 3 inches of oil into a deep cast iron skillet; the oil should not come more than halfway up the sides of the pot. Put the pot over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 375 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Working in batches, add the chicken pieces to the hot oil, 3 or 4 at a time and fry, turning the pieces occasionally, until evenly golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a rack to drain; repeat to cook the remaining pieces. Serve hot.
• Yield: 4 to 6 servings

FRIED CHILI PEPPER CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the chicken marinade: Dissolve the sugar in 3 cups warm water. Add the garlic, fish sauce and salt and mix well. Cool completely. Add the chicken to the marinade and refrigerate for 1 day.
• For the sofrito: Place the apples, onions, ginger and garlic in a pot, then add just enough oil so that everything is submerged. Cook on low heat until everything is brown, 2 1/2 hours.
• For the chili paste: Cook the tomato paste and 3 cups sofrito in a pan until it develops a deep red color. Add the chipotles, sambal, chile flakes and salt and pepper. Puree the mixture in a food processor.
• For the chili pepper sauce: Add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sambal, chile flakes, garlic, ginger, 3 cups water and 2 cups chili paste to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch together with 1 tablespoon water in a bowl.
• When the pot comes to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened, 3 more minutes.
• For the chili pepper chicken: Preheat the oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade and coat in the flour. Dust off any excess and fry in batches until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and toss with 1 cup chili pepper sauce until thoroughly coated.
• Plate with rice and finish by sprinkling with green onions and furikake.

SOUTHERN SPICY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and place them in a deep-sided baking dish.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, hot pepper sauce, and 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the chicken, stir to coat all sides of the chicken pieces, and cover the dish with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 2 hours to marinate.
• Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture, and shake off excess. Discard the remaining buttermilk mixture.
• Place the flour, 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste in a large plastic zipper bag, and shake well to combine. Place 2 or 3 pieces of chicken at a time into the plastic bag, and shake well to coat the chicken pieces with seasoned flour.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Gently place chicken pieces into the hot oil, and fry until chicken is cooked through and golden brown, 8-10 minutes (breasts and wings) or 13 to 15 minutes (thighs and drumsticks). Drain the fried chicken on paper towels.

LEMON-PEPPER FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix bread crumbs, lemon-pepper seasoning, basil, oregano, garlic powder, and salt together in a shallow dish.
• Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels, dip in beaten eggs, and dredge through bread crumb mixture.
• Heat enough oil to thickly coat the bottom of a frying pan over medium heat. Fry chicken until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 8 to 10 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a chicken breast should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GARLIC CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a shallow dish, mix together the garlic powder, pepper, salt, paprika, bread crumbs and flour. In a separate dish, whisk together the milk and egg.
• Heat the oil in an electric skillet set to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Dip the chicken into the egg and milk, then dredge in the dry ingredients until evenly coated.
• Fry chicken in the hot oil for about 5 minutes per side, or until the chicken is cooked through and juices run clear. Remove from the oil with a slotted spatula, and serve.

PEPPERY CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
• Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper evenly over chicken. Set aside.
• Combine cracker crumbs, 2 cups flour, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ground red pepper.
• Whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk and eggs. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.
• Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). Heat to 360°. Fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack in a jellyroll pan. Keep chicken warm in a 225° oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
• Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 6 1/2 cups milk. Pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with chicken.

SKILLET FRIED CHICKEN WITH BLACK PEPPER GRAVY

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. Place the flour in a shallow plate and season with the cayenne, salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Pour the canola oil into a large cast-iron skillet to a depth of 3/4 inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 375 degrees F. Set up brown paper bags or several layered paper towels nearby for draining the chicken.
• Starting with the dark meat, one piece at a time, add the chicken to the seasoned flour and turn to coat. Shake to remove excess flour. One piece at a time, add the chicken to the hot oil. The oil should not quite cover the chicken. (Do not overcrowd the pan; this can be dangerous and result in soggy chicken, too.)
• Fry the pieces, turning them once or twice, until the coating is rich golden brown on all sides, 10 to 14 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the juices run clear when pricked with a knife, another 10 to 15 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh should register 170 degrees F.) Remove and drain the chicken on the brown paper bags or paper towels.
• Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully pour off most of the grease into a metal bowl or can, leaving 2 to 3 tablespoons in the pan with the browned crumbs. Reduce the heat to very low. Add 4 tablespoons of the remaining flour used to coat the chicken. Stir together with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and stock or water. Cook, stirring often, until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add a heaping pinch of black pepper. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt.
• Serve the gravy with the rice and chicken.

CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN WITH WHITE GRAVY

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Fit cooling racks into 2 baking sheets.
• Place 1 chicken breast in a one-gallon resealable plastic bag with the seal left open (alternatively, place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap). Pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin until it is 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish. Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and egg in a medium bowl. Set up a dredging station by arranging the chicken, dry ingredients, wet ingredients and prepared baking sheet in an assembly line. Dredge 1 chicken breast in the dry ingredients to coat, then dip in the wet ingredients and shake off any excess. Dredge once again in the dry ingredients to coat and transfer to one of the cooling racks. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Fill a deep cast-iron skillet with 3/4 to 1 inch of oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Working in 2 batches, fry the chicken until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Place on the second cooling rack and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• For the gravy: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking continuously, until light brown, about 2 minutes. Pour in the milk in a steady stream while whisking. Add 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, then the vinegar. Cook at a simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Serve the chicken fried chicken topped with the white gravy.

LEMON-PEPPER FRIED "CHICKEN" TENDERS

Steps:

• For the lemon-pepper "chicken": Place the tofu on a layer of paper towels on a cutting board. Top with more paper towels. Place a pot over the top and fill with heavy cans to press the excess liquid from the tofu. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Cut the tofu into strips. Soak the strips in the broth in a bowl for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the ranch dip: Stir together the mayonnaise, almond milk, parsley, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder and dill in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
• For the lemon-pepper "chicken": Pour enough oil to reach halfway up the sides of a cast-iron skillet. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack.
• Make the "buttermilk" by stirring together the almond milk and vinegar in a shallow dish. Let stand, whisking occasionally, for 10 minutes to develop a tangy flavor. Combine the flour, cornstarch, lemon-pepper seasoning and salt and pepper to taste in a separate shallow dish.
• Dip the tofu strips in the "buttermilk," then dredge in the flour mixture. Fry, in batches, turning occasionally, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle with additional lemon-pepper seasoning while still hot. Serve hot with the ranch dip.

FRIED CHICKEN WITH PEPPERY GRAVY

Steps:

• Combine milk and lemon juice in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine flour, salt, pepper and cayenne.
• Dip chicken in milk and then flour. Reserve leftover flour and milk for gravy.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Let oil get really hot before adding chicken! Fry chicken about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan.
• Add remaining flour to skillet with pan drippings. Cook, stirring constantly over medium-high heat until flour is golden, about 1 minute.
• Gradually stir in remaining milk. Cook, wisking well until gravy is smooth and thickened, which should be about 2 minutes.
• Spoon gravy over chicken and serve!

FIERY PEPPER CHICKEN

Steps:

• Stir together 1 teaspoon cooking wine and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; add the chicken and stir to coat. Allow to marinate 2 to 3 minutes. Place the marinated chicken in a large, sealable plastic bag with the cornstarch and shake to coat.
• Heat the peanut oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Fry the chicken in the oil until it begins to crisp around the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the oil, discarding the rest.
• Reheat the reserved oil in the wok over medium-high heat; cook and stir the garlic, ginger, and green onions in the oil until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the green chilies, crushed dried chilies, and Szechuan peppercorns; continue frying about 20 seconds more. Return the chicken to the wok; stir in the soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cooking wine, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

PEPPERY CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Use poultry shears to cut each breast in half (poultry shears will easily cut through the bones).
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat, spray with nonstick cooking spray, and brown chicken pieces briefly (not to cook all the way through).
• Place browned chicken pieces into a 9x13" casserole sprayed with nonstick spray.
• Combine water, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, pepper, and celery seed with a whisk until blended.
• Pour sauce over chicken, add bay leaf to the pan, and bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 minutes.
• Baste chicken with some of the pan drippings and continue cooking until the chicken is fully cooked, approximately another 30 minutes (time will vary based on the weight of your chicken pieces) Once chicken is fully cooked, remove to a platter and if desired, pour any remaining pan drippings/liquid into a gravy dish to use as a dipping sauce.
• Or pour any remaining sauce into a saucepan and heat until reduced (you can thicken this by adding a little flour that has been whisked with a small amount of water first and whisking this mixture into the heateed drippings and cooking until thickened).
• *If you prefer, you may substitute bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks in place of the breasts. Just be sure to end up with 8 small pieces of chicken with bones.

CHICKEN-FRIED STEAK WITH CRACKED PEPPER GRAVY

Steps:

• Prepare the flour spice by blending the flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Set aside on a plate or wax paper.
• Prepare the batter by mixing the eggs with a whisk, in a large bowl.
• Add the cream, and beer. Whisk to blend.
• Set aside. In a deep, heavy skillet, heat the oil to 350 degrees. While the oil is heating, prepare the round steaks by dredging them in the flour spice, taking care to evenly coat the meat. Shake off any excess.
• Dip the meat into the batter, and then again in the flour spice, evenly coating the batter so it is dry on the outside. When the oil temperature reaches 350 degrees (when a drop of batter sizzles when dropped in it), gently slide one steak into the hot oil. Cook the steak about 5 minutes.
• Turn in, taking care not to break the coating, and cook the meat 5 more minutes, or until the batter is nicely browned. Drain the cooked steak on paper towels. Repeat with the other steaks.
• Hold the cooked steaks in a 225 degree oven until all four are done. Pour Cracker-Pepper Gravy over the steaks and serve. Yield: 4 servings.
• CREAM GRAVY Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan.
• When the foam goes down, whisk in the flour. Continually whisk until the flour cooks, becoming a fragrant light brown.
• Slowly add the milk, continuing to whisk to keep lumps from forming.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer gravy for 10 minutes to cook and reduce. Serve hot.