Chicken-Fried Chicken And Country Gravy Recipe

Chicken-fried chicken is an interesting concept — it may have been adapted from the Texas specialty known as chicken-fried steak, which in turn seems as if it were meant to mimic fried chicken. As both dishes are similar yet ultimately different from one another, that makes chicken-fried chicken the culinary version of the telephone game. The results, however, are no joke, and recipe developer Patterson Watkins will attest to just how beautifully decadent her chicken-fried chicken and country gravy recipe turns out to be.

According to Watkins, her inspiration for this particular recipe comes from the fact that the Southern-style white gravy typically served with chicken-fried steak (and chicken) is made with the same oil used to cook the steak (or chicken). "That presented a light bulb moment for me," says Watkins. "Schmaltz (rendered chicken fat) for frying and for maximizing the overall chicken-flavor-ness." Her recipe is actually a chicken triple threat, since she also uses a favorite secret ingredient of hers: chicken bouillon powder. This makes for a dish she describes as "chicken fried chicken fried in chicken fat seasoned with chicken," and since that's a bit of a tongue-twister, we'll just call it delicious.

This dish starts with chicken breasts seasoned with chicken bouillon powder, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt. You'll also need flour, baking powder, baking soda, buttermilk, an egg, and schmaltz for cooking, plus some whole milk to make the gravy.

To make the seasoning blend, place bouillon powder, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt in a small bowl, stir to combine, and set aside.

Sandwich the chicken breasts in between sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap.

Pound the chicken using a meat mallet into thinner cutlets.

Season the chicken cutlets with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning blend.

Place flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 2 teaspoons of the seasoning blend into a shallow bowl. Whisk to combine.

Place the buttermilk and egg in another shallow bowl, season with 2 teaspoons of the seasoning blend, and whisk to combine.

Spoon schmaltz into a large skillet and melt over medium-high heat until the temperature reaches 325 F to 350 F.

While the schmaltz is heating, coat the chicken in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess.

Next, dip the chicken into the buttermilk mixture, letting any excess drip off.

Return the chicken to the flour and coat. Use your hands to press and adhere the flour to the cutlet.

Working in batches, carefully place the chicken into the hot schmaltz, and fry for 3 to 4 minutes per side or until crisp and cooked through.

Remove the fried cutlets from the skillet and set aside on a wire rack to rest and drain.

Carefully remove ¼ cup of the hot schmaltz from the skillet and transfer to a small saucepan.

Add ⅓ cup of flour to the pan and whisk to combine the roux. Cook the roux over medium heat for 1 minute.

Add the milk and the remaining seasoning (about 1 teaspoon) to the saucepan and whisk to combine with the roux. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened.

Divide the chicken between plates and top with gravy before serving.

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Schmaltz, as noted above, is a term typically applied to chicken fat, although in the original Yiddish it simply means rendered fat. The reason why schmaltz plays such a large role in kosher cooking is that oil was not readily available in Eastern Europe back in the day, but lard (pig fat) was forbidden by Jewish dietary laws. Butter was also not allowed for cooking meat, since dairy and meat cannot be mixed according to kashrut. 

The reason why schmaltz is called for in this recipe is that it amplifies the chicken's flavor. Schmaltz can be very economical if you save chicken fat leftover from cooking, but it can be pricey if you need to buy it in the store. "Schmaltz is not much different from shortening or lard, just made from rendered chicken fat, and (due to it's origins) is very chicken-tasting with a delicious buttery note," Watkins explains. As such, it works wonderfully in a chicken-fried chicken recipe, but Watkins does note that you can use lard, shortening, or high-heat oil instead. 

Buttermilk is one of those ingredients that, outside of use for baking or making fried chicken, it's not something that gets a whole lot of use in the average kitchen. Unfortunately, grocery stores don't seem to have caught on to this, since fresh buttermilk seems to be sold primarily in half-gallon-sized jugs instead of smaller pint or quart containers. Powdered buttermilk is one solution to the problem, but you can also use other buttermilk substitutes such as one part sour cream or plain yogurt mixed with two parts of milk or water to the approximate consistency of whipping cream.

You can also make homemade buttermilk by combining just two ingredients: a cup of milk with either a tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar or 1 ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar. Whole milk works best for this, since you want the liquid to have some viscosity to it as well as enough fat to help the chicken retain moisture. Buttermilk also has a certain amount of acidity, which not only adds flavor but helps tenderize the meat. This element is duplicated by adding an acidic ingredient to the milk.

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