Spicy Fried Chicken
Pat: When I was growing up in the South, there were “soul food” restaurants on every corner. I mean every corner. And there was one entrée served in all those restaurants, and that, of course, was fried chicken. Gina: To this day, in spite of our occasional diets, fried chicken is one menu item that is hard to resist. It has been and always will be one of our weaknesses. But it’s one we can live with. When you’ve had a bad day at work, there’s something about coming home to a good piece of fried chicken. It’s a Southern tonic: a feel-good, make-it-all-better food. Pat: We coat the chicken in dry spices first. This allows an incredible flavor to penetrate and permeate the meat. Then the chicken is double-dipped in buttermilk and seasoned flour to create a crispy, flavorful crunch. I promise you lip-smackin’ good fried chicken with this Neely favorite. It’s one of those dishes that partygoers love and are still talking about the next day.
Remember how your mom used to tell you to wash your hands before supper? She was right! Anytime you are working with food especially meat, poultry, or seafood you need to wash your hands before and after handling the food. And you really need to scrub all of your work surfaces and kitchen utensils, as well. The clean hands rule certainly applies to this dish, because I guarantee that when you plate up the fried chicken and start eating, you will not be able to resist licking your fingers (it’s that good). At the Neelys’, some of our dishes are so messy we wash our hands after supper as well.
