Mom’s Fried Chicken and Country Gravy

Everyone must have a favorite fried chicken recipe. Here’s mine. I’ll throw in the country gravy recipe for free. Serves four.

One chicken, cut into four pieces (two breasts, two leg and thigh pieces. You can also do any combination of pieces you want)

1 ½ cups – flour
1 tbsp each – granulated garlic, black pepper and either seasoning salt or regular salt
Paprika
Olive oil
Milk

Wash and dry the chicken pieces. Put the flour, garlic, pepper and salt into a paper bag or a one gallon plastic zipper bag. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and brown over high heat in olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan big enough to hold all the pieces. When the pieces are well browned, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan with either a lid or aluminum foil. Let this cook for about 20 minutes, turning the chicken a couple of times. Just before the chicken is done (when the juices run clear), sprinkle well with paprika. Remove the chicken to a plate and make the gravy.

Country gravy – Make a roux with the flour mixture and the pan drippings. Add some more olive oil if you need to. Scrape up the brown bits while you’re cooking the roux. Whisk in two cups of milk until the lumps are pretty much gone. Let the gravy bubble briefly, you made need to add more milk if it gets too thick. Adjust the seasoning and serve. Be aware that this stuff thickens as it cools.

Although you can do the chicken ahead of time for a picnic, I like it best served hot for dinner with Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic, plenty of gravy and whatever veggie you feel you need.

As for wine, this is good old ‘merican food and deserves a good old ‘merican wine. Zinfandel works for me.

Click to print this recipe as a PDF.