In my opinion, fried chicken tastes the best served second day cold while cruising boat side on a lake. Having this at a summer picnic is essential and feels like a total indulgence. Pair with some slaw and bbq sauce and consider it the highlight of the day. However, if you favor a more convenient recipe, this one is it. The best method for cooking these is with an electric skillet for much easier temperature correction. If this is not an option for you, simply fill a skillet and place a cooking thermometer on the side to monitor the temperature as the chicken cooks.
1 Fryer chicken (note, this is a certain weight and size of chicken for frying)
1 cup Crisco
1 cup Butter
1-2 cups Flour
1 tablespoon Paprika
1 tablespoon Salt
1 tablespoon Pepper
1-2 cups Buttermilk
In a frying pan, add equal parts butter and crisco and turn on the heat. In lieu of butter and crisco, you can also use 2 cups vegetable oil. Oil should be half way up the pot for optimal frying. Heat on medium or until (350 degrees). Pour buttermilk into a bowl and add chicken pieces. For bet results, place chicken in a ziplock bag with buttermilk overnight. In a separate bowl, mix flour and spices for dredging. Once oil is hot, dredge each chicken piece in the flour mixture and place in hot oil for frying. Place pieces of flour coated chicken in the oil for 10 minutes, then lower heat to medium for 20 minutes on one side. Turn over chicken and repeat on the other side. Cook until chicken reaches 160 degrees.
Remove from heat and place on paper towels to soak up any excess oil and serve warm.
