Nashville Style Hot Chicken

prep: 3 hours

cook: about an hour

serves: 6

special equipment:
 A deep-fry thermometer

to dry brine the chicken you’ll need…

1 3–4 pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces, cut breasts cut in half, discard backbone and wing tips

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

for the dredge you’ll need…

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons salt

for the dip you’ll need…

2 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon hot sauce (vinegar based, like Tabasco)

for frying you’ll need…

Safflower Oil, Vegetable Oil, Peanut Oil or Lard (yep, I said the “L” word)

for the spicy sauce you’ll need…

1 cup hot frying oil

4 tablespoons cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon chili powder

let’s get to it…

Place the chicken in a large bowl and rub it with the salt and black pepper; cover and let it hang out in the refrigerator for 3 hours (or overnight if possible). Let the chicken stand at room temperature for about 45 minutes before cooking.

Set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Whisk the flour, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt together in a 9x13x2-inch baking dish (like a lasagna pan). Beat the eggs, buttermilk and hot sauce together in a medium bowl; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large (10-inch or 12-inch) skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet (not nonstick!) to about ¾-inch deep. Prop the deep-fry thermometer in the oil so the bulb is submerged, but not touching the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°F.

Using 1 hand for dry ingredients and 1 hand for wet ingredients, dredge 1 piece of chicken in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess. Dip the chicken piece in the buttermilk mixture; shake off the excess. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture AGAIN and shake off the excess.

Place 4 to 5 pieces of chicken in the skillet, depending on how much room you have. Working in batches, fry the chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes. Adjust the heat to maintain a steady temperature of 325°F. Cook until the skin is golden brown, about 10 minutes for wings and 17 to 20 minutes for thighs, legs, and breast quarters, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken reads 165°F.

Remove chicken from skillet with tongs, allowing the excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer the cooked chicken to the rack. Repeat until all of the chicken is cooked.

And now, this is what makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so HOT:

Ladle 1 cup of hot oil into a small saucepan or heatproof bowl and whisk in the cayenne pepper, dark brown sugar and chili powder. Brush or baste the sauce over the Nashville Style Hot Chicken. Serve on a slice or two of white bread with a few pickles.

Homemade Waffles

prep: 10 minutes
cook: follow waffle griddle directions

makes about 6 waffles

you’ll need…
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 ½ cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt

let’s get to it…
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Mix in the milk and oil.
Stir in the flour, baking powder, sugar, cinnamon and salt until well blended.
Heat the waffle griddle according to manufacturer’s directions. Lightly spray on non-stick spray if needed.
Pour batter onto waffle griddle. Close lid and bake according to manufacturer’s directions or until the waffle griddle stops steaming. Waffles are ready when they are crisp and brown.

cooking know how:
Put frozen waffles directly in a toaster and cook until warm throughout. Alternatively, place the waffles on a baking sheet in a 325°F oven and heat until warm throughout, 5 to 6 minutes.

Easy Oven Roasted Chicken Breasts

prep: 10 minutes
cook: 35 to 40 minutes

you’ll need…
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, finely minced and mashed
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or paprika if you don’t like it spicy)
4 bone-in, skin on chicken breasts (about 3 ½ pounds)

let’s get to it…
Place oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Mix olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, salt and cayenne pepper (or paprika) together in a small bowl to form a paste.
Spread half of the paste under the skin of each of the chicken breasts. Rub remaining paste on the skin.
Place chicken breasts on baking sheet. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through to 165°F.

Cooking know-how: Substitute your favorite seasoning for the Italian seasoning. If your seasoning contains salt, omit the salt in the recipe.

Find more great recipes and other food happenings at http://www.mamashighstrung.com.

bon appétit inspired Skillet-Fried Chicken

prep: 3 hours
cook: about an hour
serves: 6

you’ll need…
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
• 2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 3–4-lb. chicken (not kosher), cut into 10 pieces, backbone and wing tips removed
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• Peanut oil (for frying)
• special equipment:
A deep-fry thermometer

let’s get to it…
Whisk 1 tablespoon of the salt, 2 teaspoons of the black pepper, the paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion powder together in a small bowl.  Rub the chicken with the spices in a medium bowl. Cover and chill for at least 3 hours (you can also let it sit overnight).

Rest the chicken out of the refrigerator for 1 hour before cooking. Set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

Whisk the buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl. Whisk the flour, the cornstarch, remaining 1 tablespoon of salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon of pepper in  in a 9x13x2″ baking dish (like a lasagna pan).

Pour the oil into a 10″–12″ cast-iron skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet (not a nonstick pan) to a depth of ¾-inches. Prop up the deep-fry thermometer (or clip it to the side of the pan) in the oil so the bulb is submerged. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until thermometer hits 350°F.

Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mixture one piece at a time, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl. (I like to use one hand for wet ingredients and one hand for dry ingredients.)

Dredge the chicken piece in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Place several pieces of the chicken in the skillet (don’t crowd the pan!). Fry the chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°F–325°F, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breasts.

Remove the chicken from the skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet and place on the wire rack. Repeat as directed until the chicken is cooked. Cool for 10 minutes before diving in!