Pam's Fried Chicken Wings
Why not start with the cream of the crop? Most Southern Black women know how to make a mean piece of Fried Chicken, but each of us puts her own spin on it. Mine is simple, basic, and scrumptious.
If you don't already have a cast iron skillet, do your tastebuds a favor and make the investment. Not only is it perfect for deep frying, once it's seasoned it adds flavor to food, and of course there's all that stuff about the iron in the cookware being good for you.
As I said, my recipe is simple:
Chicken Wings - Let's face it, the skin is the best part of fried chicken. If you use wings, then you will get a little bit of skin and meat in each bite. If you need a meatier bird, add about five minutes of cooking time for legs or thighs, ten minues for breasts. I don't marinate my chicken in buttermilk, because it changes the texture and makes it a little more dense. But if you are a fan a heavier crust and the tangier flavor, put the chicken in a plastic bag/container with buttermilk for at least two hours.
Seasoned Salt - All my girls swear by Lawry's, but I've found that if done right, the Dollar Store brand works just as well.
Garlic Powder - Because...it's garlic and it's awesome. Stock up, because I use a lot of garlic, butter, olive oil and broth in my recipes; you'll need it later and and you'll need it often.
Parsley - It doesn't really change the flavor of the chicken, but it makes it look pretty, and presentation is important. We wanna eat stuff that looks good!
Canola Oil - There is a lot of debate about oil, lard and shortening (Crisco). Canola oil is better for you, tastes good and is less likely to smoke at high heat. Save your used oil in the fridge after you fry the chicken, because you need to use both fresh and precooked oil to make your chicken sing.
Flour - This is a no brainer cause it's what makes your skin cripsy.
Cook it!
Dry your chicken pieces and season liberally. Don't be afraid! Dredge the chicken in flour and make sure to shake off the extra before putting it in the pan.
Heat your oil in the cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. You want to make sure it's hot enough so that you fry it, not boil it in oil.
Once your oil is good and hot (you can't hold your hand over it for more than five seconds), lay your chicken in the pan carefully and let it cook! Don't move it, flip it, stir it, or mess with it at all until you see the chicken starting to brown around the edges. Flip it ONCE and brown the second side. Wings will take about ten minues each side if you like a cripsy skin, depending on their size. The first side might be a little darker from sitting on the bottom of the skillet, but don't worry, it's not burned.
You can take the wings out and drain them however you like. Paper towel, paper bag, cookie rack, it really doesn't matter. Eat it while it's hot, with some Garlic Mashed Potatoes or Red Beans and Rice (recipes for these are coming soon).
Comment and let me know how this recipe worked for you, or if you have questions, or email me at pamstexasdish@yahoo.com
