Buttermilk Skillet Fried Chicken
By: Giangi Townsend
Published: Friday, June 29, 2012 - 9:56am

Ingredients




2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
3-4 pounds of chicken pieces : drumsticks, tights and breast
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

1 Clean all the chicken pieces well, remove skin if desired. Using 1 tablespoon salt and ½ tablespoon pepper, season the chicken well all over. 2 In a medium bowl whisk the buttermilk, egg and ½ cup of water. 3 In a large glass baking pan mix together: flour,1 tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon pepper, paprika and cornstarch. Mix well. 4 Dip chicken in buttermilk then on flour mixture.  shaking off any excess flour. 5 In a large heavy bottom skillet heat the oil to a depth of ¾”. When oil is hot but not burning add the chicken to the skillet making sure that it is not crowding the pan. Fry chicken turning with thongs so it brown evenly. About 10 to 13 minutes. 6 When the chicken is done place on a paper plate and serve immediately.

About

Fried chicken!! Yesterday we were in the mood for fried chicken. I know, I know… I never prepared it and seldom we fry food in my house.  Last night was a fun experience. 
Chicken on hand, the search for the perfect recipe began. In my never ending drawer of recipes I found an old family recipe handed down to us.  Perfect!! Just for fun, I decided to look for one with buttermilk. Found a few too many so I decided to incorporate all of them together and prepared my own version of buttermilk fried chicken.
As I am reading thru the family recipe “ Southern Fried Chicken” I realized that I needed  shortening, more specifically Crisco.  Ok!!! Well!!! that is a curve ball sent my way. I never used Crisco even less know what it looks like.  To the supermarket I went, looked for it and purchased my first tin cup ever. The preparation of the recipe was as simple as 1-2-3.
The “Buttermilk Skillet Fried Chicken” was easy to put together.  
Now to the frying pans I went.  Having so much chicken to cook and having a Wolfe six burners, I decided that instead of cooking the chicken in batches, I used my large skillets and cook all the chicken at once. Everyone out of my kitchen, the cooking started.
By using three different pans, I have to say, it was an eye opener on how so much different skillets cooks.  I prefer de Buyer over Lodge or Lincoln for cooking fried food. Better heat distribution, cooked more evenly, took less time, less burning.  
Seeing that we were in a Southern kind of mood, I decided to prepare  some creamed corn with bell pepper as a side dish.  Green salad a must. 
Decision .. decision.. which chicken we liked best? Both I must say.