Chicken Fried Chicken & Cream Gravy

Nice basic recipe -  at first I thought there was too much pepper in the gravy - but it was fine -

The only thing I would change is more salt - but that's easy to add when you eat it. They reheat well in the oven and are still crispy.

From the Homesick Texan

Chicken Fried Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
Oil for frying
Cream gravy, for serving for serving

Instructions:

Pound the breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. (I used those thin cut breasts)

Mix together the flour with the salt, black pepper, and cayenne and place on a plate. Add a bit of the egg/buttermilk mixture to the flour to make it a bit lumpy - this will give you that thicker crunchiness ...

Whisk together the eggs with the buttermilk.

 Lightly sprinkle the breasts with salt and pepper then dredge each into the flour. Dip the flour-coated breasts into the eggs and then dredge in the flour again.

 Place the breaded chicken breasts on a sheet pan.

Heat up the oven to 200°F. In a large heavy skillet, such as a cast-iron skillet, on medium-high heat up an inch of oil to 350°F, about 5 minutes. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test the temperature by sticking a wooden spoon into the oil. If it bubbles around the spoon, it should be ready for frying.

Working in batches, gently lower each breast into the oil and cook for 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned, turning once. Drain on a paper towel and place in the oven while you fry the remaining breasts.


Cream Gravy


2 tablespoons pan drippings, bacon grease or vegetable oil 
2 tablespoons flour 
1 1/2 cups milk 
1 teaspoon black pepper 
Salt to taste

Combine fat with flour in a hot skillet, continuously stirring, cook on medium for a couple of minutes until a dark roux is formed. 

Add milk slowly to skillet, and mix with roux using either a whisk or wooden spoon (be sure and press out any lumps). Turn heat to low and continue stirring until mixture is thickened, a couple more minutes. Add pepper and salt to taste. 

If gravy is too thick for your taste, you can thin it by adding either more milk or water a tablespoon at a time. Goes great with mashed potatoes, fried chicken, biscuits, chicken fried steak, grits, vegetables, rice or anything else you can imagine.


Here is another version of the gravy I want to try:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

When ready to fry the chicken, make the gravy: Heat the butter in a 10-inch heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium-high until foamy. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes (lower the heat if the butter starts to brown). Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fully absorbed, about 1 minute. Add the milk in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Add the cream, whisking, and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Simmer, whisking, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and plenty of pepper. Keep warm while you fry the chicken.