After I was first married I gommed up all sorts of recipes I tried. Even today, I still make a mess out of things sometimes.
One real fail I remember vividly was trying to make fried chicken. It looked so beautiful and pretty! But once I started putting a piece on The Deer Hunter’s plate it was very obvious it wasn’t even remotely done. I had accomplished browning the outside while leaving the inside raw.
Boneless chicken pieces fry up nicely and I’ve made them many times over the years, but bone in chicken pieces fried to perfection have alluded me all of my married life.
Somewhere along the way I started baking my fried chicken. It always turns out really good. Here’s the recipe.
Baked Fried Chicken
8 chicken pieces (a little more or less works well too)
Enough buttermilk to marinate chicken
1 egg
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons butter melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Marinate chicken in buttermilk for several hours. Mix half-and-half with egg and whisk. Mix dry ingredients together and whisk. Dip chicken in wet mixture and then in the dry one. Place chicken on baking sheet. Sprinkle with olive oil and butter. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 400 degrees and continue baking for 35 minutes or until done.
The recipe can also be found in mine and Jim Casada’s cookbook Celebrating Southern Appalachian Food – Recipes and Stories from Mountain Kitchens. If you’d like to pick up a copy of the book you can find it here.
There is a real fried chicken recipe in the cookbook too. It comes from Jim’s mother Anna Lou. I haven’t found time to try it yet, but I’m aiming to. I’ve heard so many stories about her wonderful fried chicken that I surely wish I could have been there when she set it on the dinner table.
Last night’s video: Matt Wants to Be a Boss & Granny Cancels Me Out.
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I must say Tipper that your Chicken recipe was a hit here at home for the family. I made your recipe exactly as you wrote it. I meant to email ya back to let you know but, I forgot due to lots of stuff going on in life at times. I made it again yesterday for supper and meant to let you know a little after supper. Well here i am up and adam at close to 5:00 am today Feb 6, telling myself “I’ve got to let Tipper know. And yes I’m usually up most all mornings at this time. Thanks for sharing the recipe. I am praying for granny. She sure is a tough cookie. Have a blessed day.
Pamela-so glad you like the chicken 🙂
Somehow I missed this post the day it was posted. I think it was a “snow day” here or maybe it was the MLK Holiday and I was off work and I missed it, but either way I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who’s unsuccessful at frying chicken! 🙂 Try as I might and many times over–every time it’s a fail with bone-in chicken for me! I saw this recipe in yours and Jim’s book and I’ve been meaning to try it. I just saw it again here today after commenting on another blog entry and it refreshed my memory and now I’m definitely going to try this over the weekend or something. Just glad to know I’m not alone in the being a decent cook and not successful at frying bone-in chicken department! Haha!
Tipper, we had much snow. I have been trying to catch up on all your reading. we took Dad on the 9th to ER here in Morristown Tennessee from head injuries to falling. He is 87 years old. He was flown to UT Medical Center and put in ICU Trauma unit. He did not recover well they put him in a comfort room on the 16th and he died the 18th. all this snow and ice has slowed so much down. we are finally having the funeral Thursday & graveside Friday. snow is now melting. I know your family is good prayer warriors. I ask you pray for my Mom. I am finishing up reading all I have missed. Prayers still going up for Granny. keep on writing. we love you all.
Sheila-I am so very sorry. I will pray for your mother and for you and the rest of your family too.
Tipper I will surely have to try your baked fried chicken recipe. In over thirty years of cooking I have only fried decent chicken maybe a couple times.
I must let you know that I’m going to try your Chicken recipe Saturday !/20 24. I it looks and sounds so good!! I’ve been married for 49 yrs since August 1974 and I’ve made a lot of chicken throughout those years but, I must say your recipe sounds so very delicious! I try to never miss yours and the girls videos I don’t comment much on any video’s I watch ….guess I’m too shy. I’m a 67 year old, married for a long while with one child a daughter. I’m glad to announce that she is engaged to be married this coming September 2024 My daughters name is Leeandrea and she is 37 years old. She was first engaged to another gentleman at the age of 27. They were engaged for a long time but, things just did not work out. Now she is engaged for a second time to a wonderful man who is a Speech Pathologist. They are very much in love like your daughter Cory & Austin. Sorry to bore you with parts of my life but, I feel I can talk to you as a sister in Christ. I guess on an email I find I can talk easier. I’m from Pennsylvania and it is snowing right now. Somewhat of a dusting but, we are going to get more later today. I hope that you will get the snow you have been waiting for Tipper.God Bless.
Have you ever tried sous vide (water bath) with chicken? The chicken cooks at exactly the temperature you want and after it is done you dredge it how you like and then fry in oil until it is done on the outside how you like. You never have to worry about the chicken being undercooked as long as the water is high enough to cook the meat all the way through.
David-never tried that sounds great 🙂
I know you all like deer meat and it works great with that too. The meat does not dry out. There are plenty of videos on YouTube, but happy to help if you have any questions.
I am an everyday reader and watch your YouTube videos as well. Thank you for sharing about your life and those around you. There is always something new to learn.
Mrs. Pressley Before my next trip out the States, I’ll to buy your cookbook and some Celebrating Appalachia shirts My family and I, We’ll do a little shout out to you and your family! Overseas, and if there is a way we can mail you and your family some gifts from abroad, let us know!
I am exactly the same. I love fried chicken better than Peter loved the Lord but I can’t make it to save myself. Tipper sometimes I wonder if we aren’t related!
Sounds good!! Looks great!! Sorry your pan fried chicken tries seemed to hit a snag. I’ll be happy to share what I’ve learned about fried chicken. After you have prepared the chicken pieces, heat up your skillet,(hot) cover the bottom with a little oil. I like Wesson, cause it’s light, and has never failed me! Much more than a 1/4 inch is just wasteful. When the oil starts to shimmer, time to start cooking!! Add a few pieces, depending on the size, don’t over crowd, cause the temperature of the oil just dropped a lot, let it get hot again. ( I start flesh side down, skin side up) Cover with a vented top, or the lid off to one side. Now LISTEN, it splatters like crazy when you first start! That’s the moisture cooking away!! turn every 5 minutes or so. Be sure to place the thickest part of the piece towards the center of the skillet. When the splattering calms down to almost nill, cut along the bone little, if the juice is clear and not red or pink, IT’S DONE!! Hope this helps! Thanks for all you do!! sorry, I didn’t proofread as I should have, but you get the jist of it I’m sure.
The lady who was my mom’s go-to babysitter when we were growing up made the best fried chicken. We kids would always crowd around the pan and wait for the crunchy brown bits to come out. To this day, my brother’s favorite meal was Mildred’s fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread, and kale.
Tipper,
I don’t do fried chicken. It always too dry! I brown the chicken in oil just to brown and then I finish baking in the oven. Somehow it comes out dry and rubbery, I just don’t do fried chicken anymore!
Tipper, we had a snowstorm and we have about 11-12 inches of snow! It has stopped snowing but now we’re in a Cold Blast with snow drifting all over the place. The temperature right now is-4 degrees with a wind chill of -24! It is advisable to only stay outdoors not more than 10 minutes or you can get frostbite! You wouldn’t love! Hope you get some snow.
I will continue to pray for your Mom. and your family. God bless you and your family abundantly. Hilary
I’ve smoked Half and Half in a pipe and rolled it into cigarettes, when I couldn’t get Prince Albert. Never tried it in chicken breading but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work!
TIPPER THAT LOOKS REAL GOOD LIKE FRIED CHICKEN SHOULD LOOK. THIS IS ALLEN. ABOUT THE QUILT. YO KEEP YOUR CELLPHONE FROM GOINGPUBLIC JUST WRITE ME A SHORT LETTER WITH YOUR CELLPHONE NUMBER IN IT. THAT WAY AFTER I SEND YOU THE PHOTO OF THE QUILT AND THEN I CAN SHRED THE NOTE WITH YOUR CELLPJONE IN IT. ALSO IF YOU INCLUDE AN ADDRESS I CAN MAIL THE OTHER PIECE OF UNFINISHED SHAWL AND NEEDLES AND EXTRA ROLLS OF COTTON ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL PIECE. MY ADDRESS IS ALLEN CHARLES SMITH 2710 WESTRIDGE PINES COURT WILDWOOD MISSOURI 63040. AND ONCE AGAIN I AM SO GLAD I FOUND YOUR SITE. I LOVE THE MOUNTAIN MUSIC AND YOU ARE BLESSED WITH TWO CHRISTISAN DAUGHTERS WHO ARE REALLY GOOD MUSICIANS.
Fried chicken is the best from a place called Zippy’s Restaurant. The skin is so crispy and the meat is so tender underneath. We also have a KFC but the prices are astronomical. Our grocery store sells them, too but I haven’t tried theirs. I had some the other day as a birthday treat. Hope you are all doing well. Prayers for Granny and the two mamas to be.
Tipper, I really appreciate you sharing this. My husband and I will be celebrating our 29th anniversary on February 5th, and I have avoided frying chicken for the very reasons you mentioned here today.
It has been a sore spot of shame for me for years because I didn’t think anyone else had that problem, and I thought even the simplest of cooks should be able to fry chicken.
I am looking forward to trying the recipe you shared, and please let us know how it turns out if you try Jim’s mother’s recipe. 🙂
I don’t fry chicken much any more for just me. Your recipe sounds like a good one to try. Here in southern middle Tn I have about 4-5” snow at least and temps in the teens. It stopped for a while but now seems to be making up for lost time! Surely a snow globe scene! I’m expecting a few more inches. I’m tucked inside with faucets dripping and hoping the power doesn’t go off. Put my outdoor cat in an inside cage last night but the dog wouldn’t come in to his crate for the first time without coaxing with food and a final push. Later he didn’t want to go out but finally did. After a few minutes all it took for him to come back to the crate was an open door and bowl of food. He hasn’t taken my offers to go out again today! Hope everyone is safe and warm and Tipper gets her snow too.
Tipper, it could be that you were over thinking your method or maybe
it’s just a different way of doing it where you live. All I know is, I’m no
cook but I cooked fried chicken once in Asheville for four friends, two
males, two females and they loved it! And though I grew up in the flatlands, the
way we fry chicken down here is remarkably similar to the way Merle Travis
describes it in his song “Kentucky”: “You take a chicken and you kill it [don’t do
that part but Grandma did] and you put it in a skillet and you fry it up a golden
brown. That’s southern cooking, and it’s mighty nice!”
Folks down here down bake chicken also, but that’s way beyond my competence.
Downside of frying chicken in a skillet, you need some kind of lard or vegetable oil
and it does get mighty greasy. But what a taste!!! It’s worth the trouble cleaning out
the skillet!
We have snow here on the Cumberland Plateau. I’m happy to be home and warm! Really good fried chicken is one of my favorite foods. Tipper, I hope you get the snow that you’re hoping for.
All of this talk about fried chicken- I have a Baptist Preacher friend that tells me dreaming about fried chicken is a sign Baptist preachers look for when they feel like they are being called to preach. This boy, now man was the ring bearer at my wedding in 1974. He told everyone he was a pallbearer in my wedding! He couldn’t remember ring bearer. He was about 5 years old when he was in my wedding. I now tell him I have given him a promotion, I now want him to be one of the preachers at my funeral. Another story, I am sure he will tell about me riding him on my school bus when he was 4 years old. It was only from his home to mine, about 1/2 mile, no one else on the bus when I did this, so I got by with doing it.
I recently read a story about a lady so often cooking fried chicken when the preacher came to eat with them, her chickens would run and hide when they saw the preacher coming.
Yummy! That oven fried chicken looks good! I saw so many wonderfully delicious looking recipes in your and Jim’s cookbook I want to try. I’ve tried the easy fudge and it was delicious. My hubby had me make it twice since the first of December. It’s so rich I cut them in small piece so it really lasted a long time in fridge. My eyes aren’t as good as they use to be so I need to get me one of them cookbook holders with a magnifying glass front so I can read the recipes better. I’m finding I need magnifying glasses more than I care too now days.
I LOVE fried chicken. My mom hated to cook but she made the absolute best fried chicken ever. My brother and I try to make it just like she did, and it’s good, but never as good as hers was.
TERESASUE I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN NOTHING IS AS GOOD AS OUR MOTHERS USED TO MAKE. GOD BLESS YOU
I gave up years ago on the preparation of fried chicken, and my family considers me a very good cook. Ya’ll are going to think I’m crazy but I love Church’s and Popeye’s chicken, so I figure what’s the need of me learning how to perfect my fried chicken skills! Tipper your recipe does sound delicious. Thank you for sharing.
Howdy and blessings from West Texas!
The buttermilk makes the world of a difference in the taste I bet!
My Grandparents and Dad used buttermilk when making scratch pancakes. We’d have competitions on who could drink a cup of buttermilk first…
I’m going to attempt to make this for my Wife and Daughter sometime! We’ll let you know how it goes. but… Leave it to this Texas boy to burn it on the first go though…
Thank you so much for Sharing this recipe!
When I was a teenager and spending a summer vacation at my Grandmother’s in NE MS, she would fry up a chicken for my cousin and I, and we knew it was the best fried chicken in the world. I can just see it frying in a huge black iron skillet. My Grandmother, who was raised in East TN, learned how to cook from her Mother. Many years later when I married, my husband thought my Mother made the best fried chicken in the world. I never learned to cook like my Mother and so I baked my chicken.
I love hot dogs too but don’t eat them as much anymore. I do have some Nature’s Promise in fridge now. I brown them like Matt did, maybe a little bit browner:) I’ve used ketchup, then switched to mustard and relish, now just with sweet onion. I love Cole Slaw but never ate it on my hot dog. I might try that if I had some slaw made up. For me, I just take a coffee cup, spoon in about two heaping tablespoons of mayo, 1 tsp of sugar, and a little carnation milk to make it creamy and pour it on the cabbage I’ve grated or chopped.
Admittedly, I don’t fry chicken anymore because of the big mess. I order it at a restaurant that has good fried chicken or a friend’s house. With just the two of us now, it really isn’t worth the effort. My granny said the same thing and only made it when the whole family descended on the house.
The best fried chicken I’ve had was Kansas City Chicken Betty’s fried chicken – her name was Chicken Betty. Made in a big iron skillet. Wash chicken and pat dry; let come to about room temp – 30 min out of fridge. Dip the chicken pieces (cut the breast in half) in a mixture of 1 egg beaten with 2/3 cup whole milk. Place pieces on a plate to let the mix drip off slightly and season with salt and pepper. Plunge the coated pieces into a big bowl of 2 cups plain flour and thump in good – be generous; shake off excess. Heat the oil (best lard/shortening mix) about 1” deep, over med high heat and get hot. Put chicken in, close but not crammed. Cook over med high heat til golden on one side, about 7 min. Turn & repeat. THEN, turn heat to low and partially cover pan 2/3; cook another 18 – 20 min. Watch the pan and turn a few times, move the pieces around to cook evenly. Lower heat if browns too fast. Drain on paper towels. Pour off excess fat and make pan gravy: flour, milk, salt, pepper. Breading stays on and it’s crispy and it’s done.
reading the other comments on chick-success: Try Chicken Betty’s fried chicken: it’s moist, crispy, breading stays on and delicious. It will change your fried chicken life.
I bake my fried chicken too. But instead of bread crumbs. I use instant mashed potato flakes for the coating.It gets so crispy. It’s very good.
Tipper when I was first married at the tender age of 18, I too struggled to cook. My husband was in the Army & we lived in Germany. Back then a whole chicken was so much cheaper than cut up pieces. So being budget conscious my hubby suggested we buy a whole chicken & cut it up. Welllllll I had never cut up a chicken much less fried one. Unlike yours, mine was done, but you really couldn’t tell what you were eating except the drumsticks. Today I can cut up a chicken & fry it also. However it is hot work standing over that big iron skillet full of bubbling oil/grease. After I finish cooking it I’m not even hungry. It is almost my hubby’s favorite things to eat, so I’m gonna try your recipe for sure. I have tried that shake n bake stuff but it’s not even close. Yours looks like pan fried chicken. Hope you got some snow. Not even a flurry over here. I’m so disappointed.
My dad didn’t tell war stories from WWII, but he loved telling this story about a fried chicken dinner he got in Louisiana. Incidentially, my mother-in-law, the late Ethel Pickens, made the best fried chicken in the world. One year, she flew out her chicken cooker from Mississippi to Oregon so she could make my favorite fried chicken dinner for my birthday. https://survivalcommonsense.com/wwii-chicken-dinner-improved-morale/
Good morning everyone. I too have no luck in frying bone in chicken. I just use deboned chicken breasts, they are still good. I will try your recipe. Tipper, snow news. We are in NE Arkansas. Gosnell to be exact We got an inch or two last night. It is starting to snow now. You might be getting your snow today. It is only 7 degrees now. Bad comes with the good sometimes. Everyone stay warm.
My favorite meal.
My wife attempted fried chicken in the early years. Not ever having to cook growing up her culinary skills were lacking.
Her friend told her to wash the chicken off before cooking it, and to everyone’s surprise she promptly took a brush and Dawn dishwashing detergent to complete the task. She’s improved immensely over the last 45 years!
Dawn? Who washes food with dishwashing liquid? Well, I do! I figure if you wash your plates, bowls, forks and spoons with it then why refrain from washing the food itself. Just gotta rinse it good.
I lied, I don’t wash my food with Dawn! I use Palmolive! I don’t often wash meat with it but would not hesitate to do so if I think I need to. I do wash fruits and vegetables with it, especially those whose packages say pre-washed or something to that effect. The only thing I can think of that I wouldn’t wash with Palmolive is mushrooms. They are just like sponges except you can’t wring them out. Experts say “don’t wash your mushrooms, just brush them off”. I say “They’re my mushrooms, I’ll wash them if I want to!” And I do, always, with no negative results.
Tipper, that looks delicious! I am a failure at frying chicken. I can get it done inside but by that point most of the breading has fallen off!
In your video from last night were you eating coleslaw made from the recipe in your cookbook? I have never made it using sour cream. I will be giving your recipe a try.
Cheryl-that slaw was just cabbage and mayo 🙂
Woke up to snow everywhere here in middle Tennessee! Hope you get your snow too, it is so beautiful outside! I too, cannot fry chicken, I have tried several times and it just can’t be done by my hands. Every tip and trick just does not work for me. I buy from Publix market, they have wonderful fried chicken in their deli! I am saving up your quilt series so I can watch all together like a movie. I love to sit in my craft room and have your videos on my little tv in there. Thank you.
Publix chicken consistently gets rated #1 in my area. A Food Lion and Ingles store near me is not too far behind. I like Ingles because I can get all dark meat, except for wings I do not like white meat chicken. For me and my son it is not worth the trouble to try to fry our own chicken, I do bake bbq chicken and pork chops.
Now, that there, is a gorgeous plate. I can taste it already! Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks for the YARD BIRD recipe, Tipper, and might I add it looks scrumptious and crispy! Mommy always brined her bird parts to make them moist and soften the meat. The last chicken breasts I’ve purchased are HARDER THAN busting rock in prison. I was gonna toss a couple in the oven this morning, but will have to severely beat the snot out of them before baking! I’m not up to a fight before coffee so…. Here’s praying you, your sweetie pie feller, the little mothers in waiting and of course the beloved matriarch of the Wilson clan MISS LOUZINE!!! May you blessed in all you do!!! Stay warm, dry and thankful today everybody! Put a few morsels out for the birds if you can to help God’s tiny messengers!!! I am blessed and saved by Jesus so it’s a very good day!!!
Good morning Tipper and everyone! It’s super cold here this morning with plenty of frozen snow from the weekend on the ground. We had a crazy wind storm leaving us without electric for two days. Our internet is finally back too. Yay! We have a generator, but with no internet I couldn’t watch your You tube videos or read the blog—I have to catch up now. The snow is absolutely beautiful and more is coming. Yesterday, for a couple hours, it looked like we were inside a shaken snow globe—I wish you could have seen it too. The chicken looks absolutely delicious. I can’t wait to try it. I am afraid to just fry bone-in chicken, but I do fry boneless breast sliced thin. Your recipe will make hubby happy, as chicken legs are his favorite! Take care everyone and keep warm by your wood stove! ❄️
Hi Tipper!
I am loving my recipe book! I write in my recipe books to know how my family liked a recipe and any thoughts or changes.
In your book, I also write if there is a video where you feature a recipe.
Just a suggestion…don’t go to any extra trouble… If you are looking at the book, could you tell us the page#? I love to follow along.
Love and prayers to all.
Hope you get enough snow to make some snow cream and a snowman!!
I love fried chicken in all of its crispy, kinda greasy glory! But I don’t cook it too often now that our eating style has changed due to my husbands health, and that’s not all bad either. I had to eliminate pretty much all fat and that has made a big difference in his cholesterol levels. Anyways, my dad taught me that to get fried chicken done so that the coating is crispy, and brown, he said to cook it slowly over low heat in the oil and don’t turn it until it’s brown. I also put a lid over the skillet which helps to cook the chicken throughout. When I turn it, I leave the lid to one side so that the steam can escape and cook the chicken until is brown and crispy. It’s worked for me all these years! Oven frying chicken is really good too and actually healthier since less fat it used.
Thanks for the recipe.
Good Monday morning!!!
Looking at radar. y’all will have some snow at some point out of that blue mass on radar.
I will try this baked chicken recipe very soon.
Wishing everyone a good week and stay warm and dry.
when I first married that’s how I made fried chicken too. same problem I could never get it done without burning it. still can’t. I bet air frying is much easier.
I don’t fry chicken well either. I finally got an air fryer and it works great!
I hope you get your snow Ms. Tipper!
God Bless.
Oh Tipper! I have NEVER been able to fry chicken. Now being from the South, that’s just not a good thing! I’m gonna try your recipe and see if I can redeem myself. My kids will be so proud!
Good morning friends, God bless us with love care and protection with healing and health in Jesus name
In my family, we just quick fry after coating with egg and seasoned flour, then baking it. My mom would make fried cheese on Sundays or for picnics. Somehow it always tasted better at the picnic.
Remembering back to my first attempt at frying chicken, wow, sounds like yours. I deep fry at about 350 and it seems to come out ok. I do find frying without bones is a lot easier. Inviting your followers into most aspects of your daily life absolutely makes us part of what you do and don’t do. Also, your quilting book, that you share weekly is so close to what we do in the south in the country. I am working on a quilt top now and can’t wait to finish. I am trying to make sure that my three girls and their 6 children have quilts that I have made. I wish I could follow some of the beautiful patterns that you are showing or in a book, but they are way too complicated, so, I will continue. I do have a friend who makes quilts with hundreds and hundreds of pieces for her Grands and Bless her heart, as they say in the south, they are priceless. Praying for Granny and no snow for her and some on your side of the ‘hill’. God Bless…stay warm and safe and well.
I can’t fry chicken either. It’s either so hard you don’t want to eat it or it has lost all its coating. My mom always told me to leave it alone, let it cook, and don’t turn it too much. Baked chicken works!!!
Since my wife passed, I now buy my fried chicken from the deli of several area grocery stores. While not like the home cooked fried in lard in an old black cast iron frying pan, it is still pretty good. I may try cooking some like this for my son and myself.
It is 4:30 and by looking at the weather radar, Tipper seems to be getting the snow she has been wanting. I have been awake since 3 o’clock and have been laying here praying and think about the days or times of the past. I pray everyone will have a good blessed day.
Randy-no snow yet but I’m still hoping 🙂 Likely won’t get any from this storm but maybe the next. I pray for you too Randy!!