Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Calphalon. All opinions are my own
Fried Chicken Is One Of The Best Comfort Foods!
There are so many Soul Food dishes that has been apart of my family’s recipes, and Crispy Southern Fried Chicken with Honey Rosemary Sauce is one of them.
What Exactly Is Fried Chicken?
Fried chicken, is a dish consisting of cut up pieces of chicken that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan fried, deep fried or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior of the chicken while retaining juices in the meat.
There are many ways to make fried chicken:
Some simply coat the chicken in flour before frying. And others dip it in beaten eggs and/or buttermilk before the flour to make a thicker crust. You can also use breadcrumbs after dipping the meat in eggs.
Why Brine with Buttermilk?
According to Southern Kitchen, “Buttermilk’s most obvious benefit is in tenderizing meat. When used in meat marinades and brines, acids denature and unravel protein networks, which then reconnect, trapping water along the way and effectively giving you, along with salt, a one-two punch of moisture retention.
In addition, buttermilk’s tang, especially when using the commercial variety, will add a bit of brightness to an otherwise heavy dish. The sugars also help to balance out the salty brine and contribute to deeper coloring and caramelization of the breading on the chicken.”
How I make Friend Chicken:
I marinate the chicken in buttermilk, herbs and spices. You can place everything in a covered bowl or a zip bag. Place the chicken in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours or overnight.
The next day, remove chicken from the refrigerator for at least 1/2 an hour. Make the flour mixture during this time.
To give the chicken an extra crispy texture, I add a small amount of buttermilk to the flour and mix it in until the flour mixture is course and has texture. It should look like there are large crumbs in the flour.
Then dip the chicken in a mixture of eggs and buttermilk and then coat the pieces in the seasoned flour.
Place chicken on a pan and let it sit so that the coating sets into the chicken. After 1/2 hour, Sprinkle the rest of the flour mixture on top of the chicken and fry.
Make a Honey Rosemary Sauce of honey, butter, lemon juice and rosemary and pour over the chicken after it’s cooked for a few minutes.
What Do You Use To Cook The Chicken In?
The chicken was cooked in a Calphalon Cast Iron Skillet, which helped with the even cooking. This durable pan is designed to heat evenly and steadily, while also retaining heat so food stays warm while serving.
I also used the 1.5 qt Sauce Pan with Cover and the 2.5 qt Sauce Pan with Cover from the Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick 11-Piece Cookware Set to make side dishes to go with the chicken. They’re oven safe up to 450°F, so you can easily go from stovetop to oven.
Calphalon Premier™ Hard-Anodized Nonstick 11-Piece Cookware Set delivers a longer-lasting, superior nonstick performance – 40% longer than Calphalon Classic™ – for effortless food release, so you can cook and serve even the most delicate food with ease.
Calphalon helps unleash my cooking passion, because it has years of expertise developing high performance Cookware in America. Quality cookware makes a difference in making my cherished family recipes, making it definitely worth the investment. All cookware is available at Calphalon.com
Try These Side Dishes That Would Go Great With The Crispy Southern Fried Chicken with Honey Rosemary Sauce:
Crispy Southern Fried Chicken with Honey Rosemary Sauce
Ingredients
Chicken & Buttermilk Brine
- 6 pieces chicken parts
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 2 cloves garlic smashed
- 2 tsp salt
Flour
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp Italian seasonings
- 2 tbsp buttermilk
- Oil for frying
Egg Mixture
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 tsp tabasco
Honey Rosemary Sauce
- 3/4 cup honey
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
Instructions
- Add buttermilk, rosemary, garlic, and salt to the chicken in a bowl or zip bag. Refrigerate overnight or 8-12 hours. The next day, remove the chicken from the refrigerator for at least 1/2 hour before coating it in flour. In a shallow dish combine flour, seasoning and 2 tablespoons buttermilk. Mix the buttermilk into the flour using your fingers, mashing until the flour is crumbly. In a small bowl beat eggs and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Start coating the chicken by removing it from the buttermilk one piece at a time. Dip pieces of chicken in the egg mixture, then coat in the seasoned flour. Place on a baking tray. Repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. Let chicken sit for about 1/2 hour. Add oil to the Calphalon Cast Iron Pan halfway to the top. Heat oil to about 350 degrees. Sprinkle leftover flour on top of the chicken. shake and place each piece of chicken in the hot oil. Cook dark meat for about 10-12 minutes on each side and white meat pieces for 8-10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Place chicken on a wire rack on top of a baking pan to drain oil for a few minutes. Serve with Honey Rosemary Sauce.
Honey Rosemary Sauce
- Add honey, butter, lemon juice, and rosemary to a small pan. Cook over medium heat until butter melts and the sauce bubbles. Serve with chicken.
