CLERGYMAN’S FRIED CHICKEN – Like Church’s
By Gloria Pitzer, as seen on… Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – Best Of The Recipe Detective (Balboa Press; Jan. 2018, p. 93). [A revised reprint of Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook (Secret RecipesTM, St. Clair, MI; May 1983, 3rd Edition).]
Another of the leading fried chicken chains to give KFC some worthy competition, is the Church’s chain, which served it crispy and delicious – always golden and never over-fried. The mixture I selected for imitating this at home was a bit different than in my other chicken recipes, but it works!
The dry mix – INGREDIENTS:
1½ cups self-rising flour
½ cup cornstarch
4 teaspoon season salt
2 teaspoons paprika
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup biscuit mix
1 envelope Italian dressing mix, (or equivalent in my homemade version – Eleven Secret Spices)
1½ ounce package dry onion soup mix, (or equivalent in my homemade version – Lip Bone Onion Soup Mix)
1 tablespoon sugar
INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix all ingredients thoroughly and store in a tightly-covered container at room temperature for up to 3 months. Makes 3 cups of mix.
TO USE THE MIX: Beat 2 eggs with ¼ cup cold water. Dip fryer pieces, first, in egg mixture; then, in dry mix and back into egg; then, finally, back into dry mix. Have 1 cup of corn oil piping hot in a heavy skillet on medium-high heat.
Brown the pieces, skin-side down, for 4-6 minutes. Then brown underside a few minutes. Transfer to a Pam-sprayed 9 x 12 x 2” baking pan. Cover in foil, sealing it on 3 sides. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 5 more minutes or until crispy. Serves 4 to 6.
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