Yum, It’s Fried Chicken Day!

There is a lot of bantering that abound regarding the roots of Southern Fried Chicken. One thing that most agree upon is that frying chicken is Scottish, dating back long before the Highland Clearance of the 1700s. Highland Clearance is exactly what it sounds like – a mass eviction and relocation to the 13 colonies. Most of the Scots and the Irish settled in South Carolina and Virginia. Some came as indentured workers, others as Plantation owners.

The idea of Fried Chicken really didn’t take off with Scottish settlers. It took another group of people to add flavor to the mix. By the 18th Century, at the height of the Transatlantic Slave Trade, fried chicken received it’s first make-over. The Scots simply fried the chicken. No flour, no seasoning, just the bird and hot oil. Rather boring to say the lease. Slaves were allowed to have chickens. The birds didn’t take up much room on the Master’s property, affording the slaves eggs and eventually meat when the chickens no longer laid. The slaves added spices from West Africa to improve the flavor of those old birds. Like so many things in life, ideas are improved upon as they travel. The Scotts fried their chicken in America. The Africans seasoned it. Together they created a delicious meal that is truly ingrained in the American catalog of Comfort Foods. While recipes for Fried Chicken date back to Mary Randolph’s 1825 cookbook The Virginia Housewife, the term “Southern Fried” didn’t appear in print for another hundred years.

Although not called Southern, one of the ways Fried Chicken spread throughout America was due in part to a group of black women in Gordonsville, Virginia. Before the Civil War, Gordonsville had become a major stopping point for two different railroad lines. Yet these trains had no dining cars. The local African-American women ceased upon a business opportunity by feeding the hungry passengers. The women cooked up fried chicken, biscuits and other tasty goods. They then sold them from the train platform, passing their foods through the open windows of the trains. These diners spread the word about how delicious Southern Fried Chicken was. This infusion of West Africans and Scottish settlers is about as American as foods can get.

One of my favorite suppers has to be fried chicken with mashed potatoes, cob corn and biscuits. I can remember sitting at the picnic table under the shade of our trees and thinking life doesn’t get any better than this. So simple.

Southern Fried Chicken
4 Chicken Quarters
Kosher Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
3 large Eggs
2 cups Buttermilk
2 cups Flour
1 teaspoon New Mexican Chili Powder
1 teaspoon dried Parsley
1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika
1 teaspoon Thyme
1 teaspoon Roasted Garlic Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Rosemary
1 teaspoon Mexican Oregano
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
Peanut Oil for frying

Set a large wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside. Place a second rack in another rimmed baking sheet. Place in an oven and heat to 300 degrees. Have a third rimmed baking sheet ready to hold the chicken before frying.

Separate quarter pieces for 4 legs and 4 thighs. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

In a show bowl, whisk the eggs. Set aside. Pour buttermilk in a separate shallow bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, season flour with Chili Powder, Parsley, Paprika, Thyme, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Rosemary, Oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour half of the seasoned flour into the zip-lock bag.

Dip a couple of pieces of chicken at a time into the buttermilk, allowing excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Place chicken into the bag with flour, shake well to coat, then place chicken on the wire rack. Repeat until all the pieces have been coated in buttermilk and seasoned flour.

Again, working with a couple of pieces at a time, dip the chicken into the eggs, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Dip into the reserved flour in the bowl, place on a baking sheet to reset. Repeat until all the chicken has been coated for a second time.

Fill a large, high-sided skillet half way with oil. Heat over medium-high heat to about 325 degrees, adjusting heat to maintain temperature.

Fry chicken in batches until golden brown with clear juices when pierced, about 15 to 18 minutes per side. Place fried chicken on the rack in the oven to keep warm and drain. Repeat with remaining chicken until all the pieces are fried.

Note: Do not over-crown the skillet, turn chicken as needed to prevent over-browning.