Southern Chicken And Pastry Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk together the buttermilk, red pepper flakes and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with a cooling rack. Add enough vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven or pot, fitted with a deep fry thermometer, so that it is filled a little less than halfway. Heat over medium heat until 350 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil. Whisk together the flour, Italian seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl.
• Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, one piece at a time, letting the excess drip off and drop into the flour. Rotate and toss chicken in the flour until completely coated. Add the breaded chicken to the oil in batches of 2 to 3 pieces. Fry until light golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, then remove to the prepared rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Top each piece of chicken with 2 tablespoons of the sauce, a slice of mozzarella and some Parmesan. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F, about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Heat the marinara in a small saucepan.
• Pour 1 1/2 cups warm marinara onto the bottom of a serving platter. Transfer the chicken to the platter. Serve with the pasta topped with the remaining sauce, a sprinkle of Parmesan and a basil leaf.

Steps:

• In a heavy pot with a lid place the chicken, onion, lemon, salt, pepper, water, bay leaf and thyme. Simmer all over low heat until tender, about 1 hour.
• Let chicken cool slightly in pot, then remove and take the meat off of the bones. Discard the bones and skin and skim excess fat off the broth if desired. Discard the onion, lemon and bay leaf. If desired, wash out pot well. Return broth and chicken pieces to the pot. Simmer over low heat while making the dumplings.
• To Make Dumplings: In a medium mixing bowl, cut shortening into the flour and salt. Stir in 1/4 cup water (more if needed) to form a soft dough. Roll out dough on a floured surface, with a rolling pin, until very thin. Cut into 1 inch wide strips using a pizza cutter or knife. Tear off 1 inch long pieces from these strips and drop into simmering broth and chicken meat. Simmer for 10 minutes with the lid off, then 10 minutes more with the lid on. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Place hen or chicken in a large pot with enough water to cover. (You could also use several chicken breasts instead of whole chicken.).
• Cook on low-medium heat until done. Remove the chicken from the pot. Keep the broth in the pot. You will cook the dumplings in this broth.
• Cool the chicken until you can remove the skin and bones. (I usually shred the chicken, but you can cube it if you wish.).
• Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt and shortening with a fork until it resembles crumbs.
• Add milk and mix well.
• Roll out to about 1/8 inch on floured waxed paper or on a floured counter.
• Let set for about 30 minutes while you debone and shred cooked chicken.
• Cut the dough into strips. (I usually use a pizza cutter for this & cut the strips about 1"x2 or 3" wide.).
• Put the chicken and 1/3 cup butter into the broth in the pot.
• Bring the broth to a boil.
• Drop the dough strips into the boiling broth, one at a time.
• Simmer for 30 minutes, then serve in bowls.
• NOTE: I usually double the amount of dumpling dough. My family likes lots of dumplings. I have made this ahead by freezing the cut dumplings on a cookie sheet, then transferring to a zip-lock bag. Freeze the broth with shredded chicken in a separate container. When you're ready to eat them, just heat the broth & chicken to a boil (thaw dumplings while heating broth) and drop in the dumplings & cook according to directions.