2013 Cooking Club Week 1: Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Spiced Up Mac & Cheese

The Black Oil · 22-01-2013 10:31pm

Gave this a go, nice and tasty, although every time I see Honey-ec's username I'm convinced the 'ec' part means she's an economist. :pac: I don't know where I'm getting that from.

Honey-ec · 22-01-2013 10:48pm

Tbh, I don't really think there's any need to finish them in the oven. But if you feel you must, make sure it's on fan and that you place them directly onto a wire rack (as opposed to a baking tray), otherwise they'll go soggy.

The Sparrow · 22-01-2013 10:57pm

illgetthere wrote: »

Thanks guys! It didn't occur to me to put it in the oven

I find it hard to judge temp when cooking with gas anyways, plus it's the first time I've cooked with so much oil (not sure if an inch or two counts as shallow or deep frying!)

Will definitely be trying this again OP, cheers

Your oil was definitely too hot. I tried to cook fried chicken a few months ago and I made exactly the same mistake. Basically I didn't give it enough time to heat up by having the hob up too high and the chicken turned out the same as yours and had to be thrown out.

But when I did it on Saturday, I gently heated it on a low heat before gradually heating it up. I also had a thermometer from IKEA and even though it only went up to 266F, I knew once the oil reached that point that it was just about ready for the chicken. According to some research I did, the optimum temperature for frying chicken is about 325F.

This is the thermometer I have and it only costs €8 which is really good value as it is great for cooking loads of meat and taking the guesswork away. It's also a timer and the back is magnetic so it sticks to your fridge or cooker or whatever.

The Sparrow · 22-01-2013 10:59pm

Honey-ec wrote: »

Tbh, I don't really think there's any need to finish them in the oven. But if you feel you must, make sure it's on fan and that you place them directly onto a wire rack (as opposed to a baking tray), otherwise they'll go soggy.

Plus if you have a gas oven, it will make the chicken drier and I don't think the crust will be as crisp.

Dizzyblonde · 23-01-2013 12:44pm

If you flatten out the thicker part of the chicken it will cook more quickly and you won't have to leave it in as long, so the coating will be paler.

BaZmO* · 23-01-2013 12:52pm

illgetthere wrote: »

I did check the chicken before it got so char-coaled but it wasn't cooked on the inside - by the time the chicken was cooked, the outside was burnt

Any advice?? I think maybe the oil was too hot - we have gas so it was really piping hot!

You could use the trick for testing if a chip pan is ready. Before you put the chicken on the pan, pop a little piece of bread into the hot oil and then gauge the temperature from that.

Just for the record too, I didn’t deep fry or shallow fry (judging by the definitions here). I just put a small amount of oil in the pan on a medium heat and it worked a treat. I also cut the bigger breasts in half on an angle and reduced the cooking time to suit.

illgetthere · 23-01-2013 2:27pm

Cool, I'll try these again soon and try to gauge the oil temp a bit better. I did the exact same as Sparrow, put heat on full blast to begin with and it didn't take long to over-heat... we live and learn eh!

I'll try to get a termometer next time i'm in Ikea too.. it's looks like a handy thing to have in the kitchen!

Will report back with my next attempt

cheers

oscarBravo · 23-01-2013 2:30pm

I have a sugar thermometer that goes to 200⁰C, which was helpful for gauging this. I heated the oil to 180 or so before popping the chicken in. Bear in mind that the cold chicken cools the oil right back down to maybe 150 - I let it heat back up before frying the second batch.

Faith · 25-01-2013 11:49pm

I made the chicken tonight. It was really tasty! I think I ended up using too much oil for frying, so the edges and ends got overdone. It was a bit dry, but the middle was lovely. If I were making it again, I'd use less oil for frying and probably flatten out the breasts a bit.

Oh yeah, buttermilk is really hard to get in the UK, so I ended up using milk with vinegar added to try and recreate buttermilk. It wasn't ideal, I'm sure, but it still worked out.

Sparks · 25-01-2013 11:58pm

18 chicken breasts now swimming in their buttermilk bath...

(yes, maybe I went a bit overboard, but family's coming round this weekend and fried chicken is delicious hot or cold - there is no possibility of waste here

)

hdowney · 26-01-2013 1:54pm

Sparks wrote: »

18 chicken breasts now swimming in their buttermilk bath...

(yes, maybe I went a bit overboard, but family's coming round this weekend and fried chicken is delicious hot or cold - there is no possibility of waste here )

'Family' eh Sparks!!!!

Roesy · 29-01-2013 8:23pm

The OH made the Mac and cheese tonight. He's been looking for a good recipe for a spicy Mac and Cheese for ages. It was delicious. Thanks OP!

Sparks · 29-01-2013 9:50pm

Yeah, okay, maybe I did go overboard a bit

Tasty though...

juke · 29-01-2013 11:28pm

Chicken is marinading, looking forward to trying this tomorrow.

juke · 31-01-2013 7:28pm

I had the chicken last night. Replaced the flour with a mix of arrowroot/oat flour because I'm avoiding gluten.

Partial success, I loved it, and demolished the leftovers for breakfast. My niece thought it was a bit spicy...lightweight

illgetthere · 31-01-2013 10:03pm

Hi everyone - I give this another go tonight following all your advice and they were a roaring success

Thank you!!!

I didn't get a chance to pick up a thermometer so just heated the oil gradually and used one of the smaller gas rings this time. The chicken was so tasty! Yum! I didn't have a celery so left that out but I don't think it made a difference.

Dizzyblonde · 01-02-2013 10:44am

If you don't have a thermometer (I don't), you can throw a small piece of bread crust into the oil to check it. If it sizzles immediately the oil is hot enough.

hdowney · 02-02-2013 3:18pm

I made the mac and cheese again last night. I used mild chilli powder instead of hot, eased up on the cayenne and used less hot sauce than I should and it was STILL burning spicy hot! (I love hot, I 'just' about managed it. The mammy wanted to cry!)

Honey-ec · 02-02-2013 5:54pm

hdowney wrote: »

I made the mac and cheese again last night. I used mild chilli powder instead of hot, eased up on the cayenne and used less hot sauce than I should and it was STILL burning spicy hot! (I love hot, I 'just' about managed it. The mammy wanted to cry!)

Really? Even made as in the recipe I really don't find it particularly hot at all.

hdowney · 02-02-2013 6:02pm

Honey-ec wrote: »

Really? Even made as in the recipe I really don't find it particularly hot at all.

Yep, I find it really bizzare

MissFlitworth · 03-02-2013 11:01pm

Made the chicken from this on Friday, the Mac & Cheese was going to be made also but someone <glares at other end of couch> had used all the cheese & milk so we had potato wedges instead. It was *gorgeous*. Chicken only got a 4 hour bath because of time constraints and it was beautiful, can't wait to leave it marinading overnight to get the full whack. We decided to slice onions into the marinade in rings to flavour the chicken and then to have delightful buttermilk onion rings to go with the chicken

oscarBravo · 03-02-2013 11:30pm

MissFlitworth wrote: »

...delightful buttermilk onion rings to go with the chicken

Again, genius! I'm totally doing that next time.

This is one of my favourite things about the cooking club: the remixes.

BaZmO* · 03-02-2013 11:31pm

oscarBravo wrote: »

Again, genius! I'm totally doing that next time.

This is one of my favourite things about the cooking club: the remixes.

Yeah, brilliant idea!

Princess Peach · 06-02-2013 9:10pm

Made both tonight. They were so good, and really quick and easy too. I was a student in Canada last year and lived off $1 kraft mac n cheese, so this was a real treat :pac: chicken was great too, so moist and flavoursome from the marinade. Def one for the recipe book

swine · 01-03-2013 12:43pm

Chicken has been marinating in the fringe since yesterday. Hoping to have corn on the cob and coleslaw to offset the spice for some more delicate palettes!

swine · 02-03-2013 11:24am

Trying to make a conscious effort to follow up on any cooking club recipes I try with photos after being a lurker most of last year.

Tried both the chicken and mac & cheese and can see myself trying them again. It was my first time cooking with that amount of oil, so I heated it slowly and halved the chicken breasts. The first pair I cooked for 5 minutes but were still pink in the centre so I dropped the heat and tried the next 4 while finishing the underdone cut in the oven in tinfoil.

Was a bit apprehensive that it'd be too spicy based on previous comments, but it was grand. Will definitely be making both again, but possibly seperately as I felt they were a bit 'heavy' (though I was only serving 3 so the higher portion size may have contributed to this).

Anyway, thanks for the recipes OP!

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daenerysstormborn3 · 15-03-2013 1:56pm

Trying 3 new recipes this week and this is one of them. Can't wait! Thanks honey

FouxDaFaFa · 02-04-2013 9:33pm

John Mason wrote: »

just finished this now - it was delicious. will definitely cook again.

fantastic start to the year.

here's our photo - vegetarian on the left meat on the right . we had it with a rocket salad

What did you use for the vegetarian option? Tofu or seitan or something? Looks great!

John Mason · 03-04-2013 9:23am

I used quorn chicken fillets.

Loopy · 04-04-2013 9:09pm

Thank you honey!!
And Miss Flit.

Made the chicken & also the onion rings tonight.
Marinaded both overnight.
Really lovely.
Not really into pasta so left out the mac & cheese.
I marinaded lots of chicken so drained them off & froze them. Hopefully they'll taste as good when cooked.

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Galadriel · 10-04-2013 2:07pm

I made the chicken over the weekend, I was very impressed, I've never done anything like that before (not much of a chef :P) but it turned out perfect.

No pics as we ate it too quickly!

foodaholic · 12-04-2013 9:33pm

Made it today for dinner, the chicken was really nice and juicy. I cut up a chicken instead of just using breasts. It didnt last very long. Will be making this again- thanks op

GalwayGirl00 · 14-04-2013 1:36pm

I made this chicken with egg fried rice, and all three teenagers were well impressed!it was even voted better than KFC. I also used the onion and battered it in the left over flour yum yum. I will definitely be repeating this recipe, thank you!:D

Mrs Fox · 27-04-2013 10:33am

Made the buttermilk fried chicken the other night, using chicken legs I had sitting in the fridge. I also added whatever extra herbs I had in hand, rosemary, sage, and homemade buttermilk. It was marinading for a good 10 hours. I floured the chicken then, but decided to double coat it afterwards with beaten egg and crumbs from a stale Italian loaf; didn't want it to go to waste!
Fried them as instructed, but the coat started to turn brown too quickly and I knew the inside hasn't fully cooked just yet. So I scooped the chicken out and threw them in the oven for another 15 minutes to finish.
The meat was lovely, tender and succulent, and you can taste the herbs and spices. The second coat, crispy and tasty as they were just the way I'd like them, fell off easily. Next time I will just stick to the seasoned flour as per recipe.
Thanks Honey-ec! I had them with coleslaw and buttery mash. Will definitely make these again.
**sorry no photos as I was staaaaaaaarving and gobbled everything up before I can say my dinner prayers!

Insect Overlord · 17-07-2013 7:58pm

I have the whole house to myself for the next few days, so naturally I made enough food to feed the family!
https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/954717_10152067213329251_218093902_n.jpg

Here's my late dinner:

I'd done the chicken once before, but this is my first time doing the pasta with it. It's magnificent! Maybe a little bit too hot for this weather, but still delicious. :pac:

Kudos to the OP.

MugMugs · 06-08-2013 12:13pm

Made this on Saturday for my other half and I.

Quite literally OP, I love you ! Thank you !!!

Wurly · 15-05-2014 11:47am

Well, the OH was having a crappy day yesterday. So knowing he loves fried chicken and also mac and cheese, I made this for dinner.

It was absolutely lovely. VERY filling though. I'm watching what I eat at the moment so I pretty much existed on fruit for the day so that I could eat this for dinner!

It's lethal fattening but so so good. In fact, i'm trying my hardest not to go into the kitchen right now and devour the leftovers! Thanks Honey-ec

foodaholic · 15-05-2014 9:53pm

Why did you resurrect this recipe - sooo going to have to hve it again.

cee_jay · 16-08-2014 8:28pm

I've been dying to try this for quite some time now but could never really justify the unhealthiness of it. But have been ill for the past week so decided to have it as a treat today.
And boy I wasn't disappointed. Yum yum yum! I marinated the chicken overnight and the coating on it was delicious. Better than any KFC. I guesstimated the amount of pasta, and think I used too little so there was quite a lot of sauce, but it was still delicious!

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blueshed · 22-08-2014 4:10pm

How does the song go, " i feel like chicken tomorrow watching the football". might not go like that but got me 8 thighs and 8 drumsticks and im going to fry them tomorrow.

MissFlitworth · 14-08-2015 10:23pm

Buttermilk fried chicken round ours again tonight. Have now been making this recipe regularly for more than 2 years. The other side of the dinner table had never had it before and thinks I am a genius. Do love the Cooking Club.

Insect Overlord · 15-08-2015 12:16am

I made this today too!

And I tried a variation of it with chicken thighs (on the bone) a few days ago too. The girlfriend was very impressed. :cool:

John Mason · 23-01-2017 9:33am

I am making this for dinner tonight.

4 years later it is still a firm family favourite in this house. tbh when i was pregnant it was the only thing i wanted to eat.

Thanks OP

bigronnie9 · 02-02-2017 2:26pm

I gave this a go last weekend.... Mac and Cheese a big hit! Fried Chicken, I made an mess of. Outside burned to a crisp, inside still raw in the thicker parts...back in the pan, burn the outside even more by the time the inside was done!

Wrong temp altogether id say, id be getting a thermometer before I try it again!

2013 Cooking Club Week 1: Buttermilk Fried Chicken and Spiced Up Mac & Cheese

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