Chicken Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

by HomeCooking
Prep: 30m
Cook: 30m
poultry
Chicken Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy - Image

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Ingredients
Servings:4
2lbchicken breasts
2tspkosher salt
1/2tspblack pepper
2tspgarlic powder
1tsppaprika
1/2tspcayenne pepper
1cupall-purpose flour
3eggs
vegetable oil
4tbspsalted butter
1/3cupall-purpose flour
1 1/2cupchicken stock
1cupwhole milk
1tspgarlic powder
1/2tspdried thyme
3/4tspkosher salt
1tspblack pepper
Nutrition Facts

Per serving

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Instructions
  1. 1

    Pound the cutlets

    Butterfly each chicken breast and slice down the center to make two thin cutlets from each one. Cover with plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until they're an even one-third inch thick. Even thickness is the whole trick to juicy chicken that fries up nice and quick.

  1. 2

    Set up your dredging stations

    In a small bowl, stir together the 2 teaspoons garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of that spice blend into the 1 cup flour. In a second shallow bowl, beat the eggs.

  2. 3

    Season, dredge, and rest

    Sprinkle the cutlets all over with the remaining spice mix. Working one at a time, dip each piece in the beaten egg and let the extra drip off, then press both sides firmly into the seasoned flour. Set the breaded cutlets on a rack and let them sit at least 15 minutes — don't skip this, it's what makes the coating stay put in the skillet.

  3. 4

    Fry until golden

    Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a large cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high until it's glistening (around 350°F). Fry two cutlets at a time until deep golden, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Move to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat, topping up the oil as needed to keep an inch in the pan.

  4. 5

    Make the cream gravy

    Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, whisk the 1/3 cup flour into 1/2 cup of the chicken stock until smooth. Turn the heat to high, pour in the flour mixture, and whisk constantly until it starts to simmer. Drop the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the rest of the stock, the milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Keep whisking until it thickens up, then taste and add salt if it needs it.

  5. 6

    Serve it up

    Ladle that warm cream gravy right over the crispy cutlets and serve straight away, while the coating's still crackly.

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Chicken Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

Created by: HomeCooking

Prep Time: 30m
Cook Time: 30m
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 2 lb chicken breasts
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 eggs
  • vegetable oil
  • 4 tbsp salted butter
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cup chicken stock
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Pound the cutletsButterfly each chicken breast and slice down the center to make two thin cutlets from each one. Cover with plastic wrap and pound with a mallet or rolling pin until they're an even one-third inch thick. Even thickness is the whole trick to juicy chicken that fries up nice and quick.
  2. Set up your dredging stationsIn a small bowl, stir together the 2 teaspoons garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and the 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. In a shallow bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon of that spice blend into the 1 cup flour. In a second shallow bowl, beat the eggs.
  3. Season, dredge, and restSprinkle the cutlets all over with the remaining spice mix. Working one at a time, dip each piece in the beaten egg and let the extra drip off, then press both sides firmly into the seasoned flour. Set the breaded cutlets on a rack and let them sit at least 15 minutes — don't skip this, it's what makes the coating stay put in the skillet.
  4. Fry until goldenPour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a large cast-iron skillet and heat over medium-high until it's glistening (around 350°F). Fry two cutlets at a time until deep golden, 3 to 4 minutes a side. Move to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat, topping up the oil as needed to keep an inch in the pan.
  5. Make the cream gravyMelt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Meanwhile, whisk the 1/3 cup flour into 1/2 cup of the chicken stock until smooth. Turn the heat to high, pour in the flour mixture, and whisk constantly until it starts to simmer. Drop the heat to medium and slowly whisk in the rest of the stock, the milk, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Keep whisking until it thickens up, then taste and add salt if it needs it.
  6. Serve it upLadle that warm cream gravy right over the crispy cutlets and serve straight away, while the coating's still crackly.

Notes & Tips

This is Sunday-supper food any night of the week, friends. Chicken fried chicken is the softer cousin of chicken fried steak — same crispy, craggy coating and peppery cream gravy, just wrapped around a tender pounded chicken breast instead. Two things make or break it: pound those cutlets nice and even so they cook through before the crust burns, and let the breaded chicken rest a good 15 minutes before it hits the oil — that little wait is what keeps the coating from sliding off in the skillet. I like plenty of black pepper in the gravy, but you're the boss of your own gravy boat. Serve with mashed potatoes and something green, and don't be shy with seconds.