Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Southern Fried Chicken Tenders





To me, "fried chicken" is a very Southern thing! I can remember watching my Grandmama Bradham go in to the yard and catching a chicken for Sunday Dinner. She would grab the chicken without even looking at it, and with a simple flick of the wrist, it was done. Now, before I receive hate mail, my Grandparents were simple country folk. They raised chickens for food and eggs. We had goose, goat, chicken, pig, squirrel, doves, fish, frog legs and probably a turtle or two. If you can catch it, hunt it, shoot it or gig it, Mama and Grandmama could cook it... and make it delicious!!! I can remember my Granddaddy BBQ-ing a goat and telling me how to clean and skin them before cooking. He said, "You know how an old billy-goat smells? Well, if you let the hair of that goat touch the meat, that's how it will taste!" I think I was about 5 years old at the time. In their house, nothing was wasted. You fried chicken necks and backs with the rest of the bird. That's why, when I buy a chicken cut up, I get the country-style cut so I get the whole bird! No waste...



6-8 chicken Tenders 
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 Tablespoon Hot Sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Oil for frying


Make an egg wash by beating the eggs, buttermilk and hot sauce together in a shallow dish. Mix flour and spices in another shallow dish. Dip chicken breast pieces in egg wash then dredge in the flour mixture. For a thicker crust on the chicken, repeat that step again... egg then flour. In a heavy skillet, heat about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch of oil to 365 degrees. (Or heat a deep fryer to 365 degrees) Place chicken in hot oil. (If the oil is not up to temp, the coating will not stick. Do not crowd the chicken in the pan or it will boil in the oil and not fry crispy.) Fry for about 5 minutes per side or until golden brown and no longer pink inside.





9 comments:

  1. PRICELESS POST!! I love it, Lynnn!!! What a sweet grampy and grammy you had!! Boy, kids today miss out on so much...my grandparents did the same...they'd bleed pigs for Christmas, wring a chicken's neck, pluck it, and milk the cows...all foreign to my kids...love the recipe too...it's all about the buttermilk!! xox Ally

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  2. Stir Fried Spicy Chicken Tenders’ Good points - Low in sugar, High in niacin & High in selenium.


    Thanks
    Fittodo.com Team
    Healthy Lifestyle

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  3. LOVE this, Sugah! Takes me straight back to long ago summers in Oklahoma with Grandmother Dolly and Granddaddy Mack! I still have vivid memories of watching her wring a chicken's neck, just the way you describe! And Granddaddy Mack cleaning squirrels and rabbits, and whatever else he might have brought home from the woods... We are soul sistahs fo' sho'! xoxoxoxo

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    1. Yes we are sugah! I am so grateful to have those memories! My Grandfather passed away when I was in the third grade and my Grandmother passed away when I was in the ninth grade. I wrote these stories down so my son would have these family memories to look back on. I'm so glad that you take the time to really read my stories! Love you bunches!!! XOXOXOX

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  4. First meal I learned to cook as a Georgia girl was fried chicken!

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  5. If asked what my last meal on this earth would be...fried chicken, cream taters, white gravey made in the same pan as the chicken was fried, cream style country corn...and some homemade biscuits with butter!!!! Lord I would be in heaven on this earth!!!! Love your blog and stories. So much like my own childhood!!!

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  6. That is awesome! Thank you so much the love and that you actually read my stories! <3

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