Chicken Test Recipes

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 250 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in large (5- to 8-quart) Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Add chicken breast-side down; scatter onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary (if using) around chicken. Cook until breast is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon inserted into cavity of bird, flip chicken breast-side up and cook until chicken and vegetables are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove Dutch oven from heat; place large sheet of foil over pot and cover tightly with lid. Transfer pot to oven and cook until instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees when inserted in thickest part of breast and 175 degrees in thickest part of thigh, 80 to 110 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to carving board, tent with foil, and rest 20 minutes. Meanwhile, strain chicken juices from pot through fine-mesh strainer into fat separator, pressing on solids to extract liquid; discard solids (you should have about 3/4 cup juices). Allow liquid to settle 5 minutes, then pour into saucepan and set over low heat.
• Carve chicken, adding any accumulated juices to saucepan. Stir lemon juice into jus to taste. Serve chicken, passing jus at table.

Steps:

• Combine chicken, 2 teaspoons salt, and 4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until chicken is cooked, about 20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; let cool 10 minutes. Discard skin and bones; shred meat into bite-size pieces (you should have 3 cups). Strain broth (you should have 4 cups; if not, add more water).
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, potato, and thyme. Cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup flour; cook 30 seconds. Gradually stir in broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, peas, and 3 tablespoons parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 2/3 cups flour, 3 tablespoons parsley, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut in remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Stir in milk until dough holds together. Drop 8 heaping spoonfuls of dough on top of chicken mixture. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve with more chopped parsley and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• In large zipper-lock plastic bag, combine salt, sugar, paprika, garlic cloves, and bay leaves.
• With rubber mallet or flat meat pounder, smash garlic into salt and spice mixture thoroughly.
• Pour mixture into large plastic container or nonreactive stockpot.
• Add 7 cups buttermilk and stir until salt is completely dissolved.
• Immerse chicken, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until fully seasoned, 2 to 3 hours.
• Remove chicken from buttermilk brine and shake off excess; place in single layer on large wire rack set over rimmed baking sheet.
• Refrigerate uncovered for 2 hours. (After 2 hours, chicken can be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 6 hours longer).
• Measure flour into large shallow dish.
• Beat egg, baking powder, and baking soda in medium bowl; stir in remaining 1 cup buttermilk (mixture will bubble and foam).
• Working in batches of 3, drop chicken pieces in flour and shake pan to coat.
• Shake excess flour from each piece.
• Then, using tongs, dip chicken pieces into egg mixture, turning to coat well and allowing excess to drip off.
• Coat chicken pieces with flour again, shake off excess, and return to wire rack.
• Adjust oven rack to middle position, set second wire rack over second rimmed baking sheet, and place on oven rack; heat oven to 200 degrees.
• Line large plate with double layer of paper towels. Meanwhile, heat oil (oil should have 2 1/2-inch depth in pan) to 375°F over medium-high heat in large 8-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with a diameter of about 12 inches.
• Place half of chicken pieces skin-side down in oil, cover, reduce heat to medium, and fry until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes; after about 3 minutes, lift chicken pieces with tongs to check for even browning; rearrange if some pieces are browning faster than others. (Spot-check oil temperature; after first 6 minutes of frying, oil should be about 325°F Adjust burner if necessary).
• Turn chicken pieces over and continue to fry, uncovered, until chicken pieces are deep golden brown on second side, 6 to 8 minutes longer.
• Using tongs, transfer chicken to paper towel-lined plate; let stand 2 minutes to drain, then transfer to rack in warm oven.
• Replace paper towel lining on plate. Return oil to 375°F and fry remaining pieces, transferring pieces to paper towel-lined plate to drain, then transferring to wire rack.
• Cool chicken pieces on wire rack (outside oven) about 5 minutes and serve.