Italian Fried Chicken

If you love fried chicken, just wait till you sink your teeth into Fabio's succulent Italian version, bathed in herbs and fried up to crispy and tender perfection. He shows easy ways to cut up a whole chicken and shares chef's secrets to bathe your bird in the best flavors for frying.

Tips:

  • Prepping the Bird 101: This money-saving option is not as intimidating as you think. Nothing is more important than a sharp knife with enough weight to help you cut through the bone. Start with the legs, and finish with the breasts. Cut the breasts in half so more people can have white meat.

  • Keeping it Crispy: marinating in buttermilk blocks chicken from absorbing grease and keeps it juicy, tender, and full of flavor with fewer calories than a batter made of eggs. Fabio imbues his buttermilk with garlic and herbs to deeply flavor the meat before frying.

  • Frying 101: It all comes down to the pan and the oil! Use a heavy pan to go from stovetop to oven, and always choose oils with a high smoke point. Chicken cooks best in small batches, so be patient: flipping too soon can strip the breading! Placing herbs and lemons into the oil releases their natural oils and sends your chicken over the top.








Fried chicken (with an Italian twist)

Recipe by Fabio Viviani

Yield: 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

3 cups buttermilk

3-5 sprigs rosemary

8 cloves garlic, crushed

1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tbsp. smoked paprika

2 tbsp. black pepper

1 tbsp. dry mustard

Light olive oil for frying

1 lemon, sliced thin

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 sprigs rosemary

3 sprigs sage

Salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

Mix together the buttermilk, rosemary, and garlic.

Add the chicken; cover and let marinate overnight.

Mix the flour, paprika, pepper and dry mustard together in a rectangular dish that is large enough to dredge the chicken.

Drain the chicken from the buttermilk, and roll the wet chicken in the flour mixture.

While the oil heats, let the chicken rest for a few minutes.

Dust lemon slices in second amount of flour and set aside.

Fry the chicken for 8-10 minutes, turning the chicken to get even color, then add the rosemary, sage, and floured lemon slices to the oil.

Fry the chicken another 7-10 minutes or until done.

Remove the chicken from the oil, and drain on paper towels.

Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

MANGIA!