CCC ~ Fried Chicken

This month's Crazy Cooking Challenge is Fried Chicken.  Yum!  The thought of fried chicken takes me back to my childhood.  My grandma was from Tennessee and every Sunday she would make supper for the family.  Fried chicken, white cornbread, mashed potatoes, gravy, corn, biscuits.  

I was all a twitter when Tina announced this month's recipe of choice.  I went hunting, hoping I could find someone who had made Carla Hall's Fried Chicken recipe.  No luck.  But then I got the most recent email update for the Crazy Cooking Challenge.  We can pick any recipe online we want!!  It doesn't have to be a blog.  While I still love highlighting other blogs almost everyday, I was dead set on making Carla's chicken and now I can!!!  

Carla and Mike Symon had a fried chicken cook off on The Chew after Mike casually mentioned the best thing he cooks is fried chicken.  To a southerner, those were fighting words.  They set a date and went head to head with their best fried chicken recipe.  In the end Carla's recipe won and I've my eye on this recipe ever since, about 6 months now.  Let the frying begin!

Carla Hall's Fried Chicken
Adapted from The Chew

Ingredients:
Dry Rub
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
3/4 tablespoon paprika
1/4 tablespoon red pepper
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 pound chicken, broken down into 10 pieces (breasts cut in half)

To Fry:
3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt and pepper
Peanut oil, to fry  {I'm using 2 1/2 cups shortening}

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper.  
2. Place half the spice mixture in a gallon-sized Ziploc bag, add chicken pieces, and top with remaining spice blend.  Seal bag and shake to coat chicken.  Refrigerate overnight.  {I didn't have time for overnight, I shook my chicken and went right into frying}
3. Melt shortening in a large pot over medium high heat {Carla likes her oil at 360 degrees F.}
4. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, buttermilk, and water.  In a shallow bowl, stir together flour and cornstarch.
5. Dip each piece of chicken first into the buttermilk mixture and then into the flour mixture; coat chicken thoroughly.
6. Fry chicken until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

*My chicken wasn't all the way done, but the breading was.  I baked my chicken in a 450 degree F oven for 9 minutes on a wire rack placed over a cookie sheet.  

There aren't words for this chicken.  Seriously.  The seasoning pack this chicken full of flavor.  It's moist and juicy and perfect!  Carla's chicken is completely delicious and I don't think I'll ever make any other fried chicken recipe again.  Yeah.  It's THAT good.