Football Feast Pt. 2

I made 2 pounds of chicken for four people.  And we had other food.  It's an affliction in my family.  We make far too much food for the amount of people involved.  It dates back to when my grandparents were first married and living on their own.  My great-grandparents came over for dinner, and Jimbo showed his daddy the chicken they were making.  Papa Dick promptly said "Is that it?" or something along those lines.  From then on, there's never been a doubt that we have more than enough food for a small army.

Rich, my brother-in-law, always comments that it's a little weird that we always have fried chicken at tailgates because our mascot is a rooster, albeit a vicious one.  I just think it's good tailgate food.  You can eat it warm when it's fresh or cold after the game.

You know you want to snack on a piece of chicken.  And as chicken frying goes, this is probably one of the simplest recipes.

Set up a little assembly line starting with all-purpose flour.

Beat a few eggs in a bowl.

I transported my panko mixture in a tupperware container.  It's 2 cups of panko breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  Give it a few shakes and it should mix nicely.

This plate was perfect for breading chicken.  It has a rim, so the panko didn't slide off the plate.  You can also use a shallow bowl.  If you see a big clump of cayenne, don't break it up with your fingers and touch your eye a few minutes later.  Your waterproof mascara will turn out to be not so waterproof.  Ouch.

I bought chicken tenderloins and cut them in half.  They happened to be on sale that day, but if you have boneless, skinless breasts on hand, go ahead and use them.

Dredge the chicken in the flour.  Get it nice and coated, then shake off the excess.  Try to use the same hand for all the steps.  It cuts down on the mess a little if only one of your hands is covered in chicken breading.  I mean, the clean hand should obviously be used for consuming your favorite adult beverage.  Might I recommend a nice fall ale?  Sam Adams Oktoberfest, perhaps?  I digress.

Dip it in the egg to coat.

And dredge in the panko mixture to coat.

I think chicken tastes best when cooked in a cast iron skillet.  I used peanut oil, but feel free to use canola or vegetable oil.  Fry them until they're golden brown on each side, flipping once or twice.

 Then they'll look like this!  Drain on a plate covered in paper towels.

A pewter platter warmed in the oven works nicely for serving.  I used a honey mustard sauce for dipping because that's mah fave.  I've heard good things about Stonewall Kitchen, so I gave their honey mustard a shot.  It had a nice sweetness with the definite tang of mustard.  Of course you can have your favorite ranch or BBQ sauce if that floats your boat.  If you're looking for something a little more fanciful, try a chutney!  Fulfill your wildest chicken tender dreams!  Live a little.  And eat some chickens.

Tailgatin' Chicken (serves 5-7)
Adapted from Down Home with the Neelys

Peanut oil, for frying
2 lbs chicken tenderloins or boneless, skinless breasts
3 eggs
1 c all-purpose flour
2 c panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

• Heat your oil to 350º.
• Cut chicken tenders in half and set aside.
• Measure the flour into a shallow dish with a rim.  Beat eggs in a bowl and set next to flour.
• Combine panko and seasonings in another shallow dish with a rim.  Form assembly line of dishes: flour, eggs, panko.  
• Dip chicken pieces in flour, egg, then dredge in panko.  Carefully place into hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.