Southern Chicken Pastry Food

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN PARMESAN

Steps:

• Whisk together the buttermilk, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Add enough vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven or pot, fitted with a deep fry thermometer, so that it is filled a little less than halfway. Heat over medium heat until 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Whisk together the flour, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl.
• Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, one piece at a time, letting the excess drip off and drop into the flour. Rotate and toss chicken in the flour until completely coated. Add the breaded chicken to the oil in batches of 2 to 3 pieces. Fry until light golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, then remove to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Top each piece of chicken with 2 tablespoons of the sauce, a slice of mozzarella and some Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Heat the marinara in a small saucepan.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups warm marinara onto the bottom of a serving platter. Transfer the chicken to the platter. Serve with the pasta topped with the remaining sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a basil leaf.

SOUTHERN CHICKEN PASTRY

Steps:

• Place hen or chicken in a large pot with enough water to cover. (You could also use several chicken breasts instead of whole chicken.).
• Cook on low-medium heat until done. Remove the chicken from the pot. Keep the broth in the pot. You will cook the dumplings in this broth.
• Cool the chicken until you can remove the skin and bones. (I usually shred the chicken, but you can cube it if you wish.).
• Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt and shortening with a fork until it resembles crumbs.
• Add milk and mix well.
• Roll out to about 1/8 inch on floured waxed paper or on a floured counter.
• Let set for about 30 minutes while you debone and shred cooked chicken.
• Cut the dough into strips. (I usually use a pizza cutter for this & cut the strips about 1"x2 or 3" wide.).
• Put the chicken and 1/3 cup butter into the broth in the pot.
• Bring the broth to a boil.
• Drop the dough strips into the boiling broth, one at a time.
• Simmer for 30 minutes, then serve in bowls.
• NOTE: I usually double the amount of dumpling dough. My family likes lots of dumplings. I have made this ahead by freezing the cut dumplings on a cookie sheet, then transferring to a zip-lock bag. Freeze the broth with shredded chicken in a separate container. When you're ready to eat them, just heat the broth & chicken to a boil (thaw dumplings while heating broth) and drop in the dumplings & cook according to directions.