Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe combines relatively simple ingredients. Chicken, the main star of the dish, is cut into pieces and coated with flour and cornmeal to give it a crispy golden exterior. It is then cooked in oil along with seasonings and spices, providing an earthy flavor perfect for any southern dish.
Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe may have originated at Willie Mae’s Scotch House in New Orleans, but you can make it yourself in your kitchen.
What is Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe?
The Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe is a down-home southern dish often served at family gatherings. The dish’s origin has been widely debated; some say it was made by Willie Mae herself, while others believe it was her husband’s creation.
The main component of the chicken is meat, mixed with some spices and wrapped in cornbread crumbs. The chicken is then deep-fried in corn oil. It is then served with gravy, coleslaw, and biscuits.
How To Long Will It Take To Prepare?
- Prepare time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 20-25 minutes
- Total time: 45 minutes
- Servings: 4 people
How to make Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe?
Ingredients:
For the Brine:
- 1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut up, or eight pieces of your choice
- 2 quarts water
- 1/2 cup salt
- For the Coating
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (if you prefer flour with cornmeal, you may use up to 3 cups)
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- One tablespoon paprika
- One teaspoon of granulated garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
For the frying:
- 3 cups Peanut oil or Olive oil
- 1 cup Lard (optional)
For the Sauce:
- 1 to 2 cups Gravy
- Two tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 1 cup light cream or half-and-half
- One tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions:
Step 1:
For the Brine:
For the Brine, dissolve salt in water in a large bowl or pot. Add chicken and cover with cold water. Set aside for about 30 minutes.
Step 2:
Prepare the Chicken:
Remove chicken from Brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Pat dry skin with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
Step 3:
Mix Coating:
Mix all ingredients for coating with salt and pepper to taste in another bowl. Coat each piece of chicken evenly with the mixture. Prepare the chicken by dipping each piece of chicken into the flour, followed by the cornmeal.
Step 4:
Fry In Oil:
Heat oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F. If you do not have a deep-fryer, you can use a skillet or pot with higher sides (you don’t want it to be too deep), which should be no less than 5 inches deep.
Step 5:
Deep-fry chicken:
Dip chicken pieces into the cornmeal, then coat them with flour. Place chicken into the oil-Fry for about 10 minutes until crisp and golden on all sides. When done, pull out of oil and place it on a paper towel to drain excess fat. Allow rest 5 minutes before serving.
Step 6:
For the Sauce:
In a saucepan, heat gravy, adding flour to thicken it. Add cream and stir until bubbly and thick. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits, and rolls.
Additional Tips:
- If you do not like the taste of lard or are concerned about your health or cholesterol levels, you may substitute the fat with butter or vegetable oil.
- This is one of the few times white meat is acceptable for frying. The dark meat will crisp up more than the white, but both are delicious with the coating.
- When the frying chicken, you may add a little flour to the chicken while soaking it in Brine. This will help get a light and crispy coating on the chicken when you fry it.
- The chicken can be served with a variety of different sauces. Gravy and a slice of lemon is a classic pairing, while vinegar-based sauce helps cut some of the fattiness of fried food.
- You can use an oily marinade and a dry brine for chicken or a dry marinade and wet Brine instead. The variation you choose will affect how much you need to rely on the flour to get that golden color on the chicken and how crispy your coating will be.
- If you want to serve the chicken on its own, you may cover it with aluminum foil after frying. This will keep the chicken warm and help it maintain its crispness.
- If you want a healthier version of fried chicken, consider baking it instead of frying it. This is healthier and still tastes great.
Precautions For Recipes:
- You may use a skillet or pot with high sides and at least 5 inches of depth to fry chicken instead of using a deep-fryer.
- Do not forget to use a thermometer for the oil you plan to use for frying. If it does not reach 350 degrees F, you may end up with undercooked or greasy chicken.
- Test the chicken by cutting it into the thickest part of the breast or thigh using a fork and knife.
- Be careful not to burn yourself when frying chicken. The oil is boiling, so use oven mitts to pick the pieces of fried chicken from the oil.
- Please do not use a lot of flour in your coating, as this will give your chicken a funny taste and prevent it from getting crispy and browned adequately.
- Lastly, be careful not to over-deep fry your chicken pieces, as this will make them greasy and cause them to be soggy.
Nutrition Facts of Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe:
| Nutrition | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 808 kcal |
| Total Fat | 37 g |
| Saturated Fat | 10 g |
| Cholesterol | 161 mg |
| Sodium | 1083 mg |
| Carbohydrates | 15 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Protein | 93 g |
7 Healthy benefits of Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe-
1. Healthy Heart:
The high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, niacin, and magnesium in chicken help block the formation of blood clots and keep your heart healthy.
2. Healthy Brain:
Niacin promotes brain health by keeping the cells in your brain healthy.
3. Healthy Pregnancy:
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, getting adequate folate from food is essential for preventing congenital disabilities. Chicken contains folate, which can help prevent neural tube defects during pregnancy.
4. Healthy Bones:
Chicken contains plenty of phosphorus, which helps your body absorb calcium. Calcium also helps keep your bones healthy and strong.
5. Healthy Skin:
Carotenoids in chicken help keep skin healthy and prevent diseases such as cancer and macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in older people. Chicken is also high in vitamin A, which helps maintain good skin health by keeping cells healthy and permeable enough to allow immune cells from the blood into the skin’s surface.
6. Healthy Pupils:
Vitamin A helps maintain good vision by assisting the cornea and lens of the eye to grow correctly. Eating foods containing vitamin A will help keep your pupils healthy. Foods high in vitamin A also can help you see in dimly lit places and at night.
7. Healthy Hair:
It promotes healthy hair growth, prevents hair loss, and encourages hair to be stronger, healthier, and shinier.
What should I soak my chicken in before frying?
If you plan to fry your chicken, you will need a brine. Chicken is one of the best meats to soak in Brine due to its lean nature.
To make the best Brine: You can use 1 cup of salt and 1/2 cup brown sugar or corn syrup per gallon of water.
If you want an extra spicy and flavorful brine: Add some black peppercorn, bay leaves, thyme, onion slices, or garlic slices for different flavor and spiciness.
Do you put baking soda or baking powder in fried chicken?
It would help if you did not use baking soda while preparing fried chicken, as it will make your chicken taste like it has a salty taste.
You may use baking powder when preparing fried chicken. The baking powder will give your chicken a light and airy crust. If you want the crust to be crispier, you may soak the chicken in the mixture for at least 30 minutes.
What’s the best oil to fry chicken in?
The best oil to fry chicken in is olive oil, but if you want to use something else, make sure it does not have a strong flavor like garlic. Do your taste buds a favor by using olive oil.
Which is better, cornstarch or flour, for fried chicken?
You can use either flour or cornstarch when preparing fried chicken. Flour-The flour that you use should be all white and freshly ground. It would help if you refrained from using any yellow cornmeal, as this will distract from the flavor of the chicken.
Cornstarch-You can use a simple cornstarch mixture to prepare fried chicken if you do not have flour. Mix cornstarch with baking powder, salt, and pepper to make your flavoring mix.
What is the proper temperature to cook fried chicken?
The proper temperature to cook fried chicken is 350 degrees F or 176 degrees C. You should not cook fried chicken at a temperature above 400 degrees as this will burn the chicken and leave it charred on the outside and raw on the inside.
How can you make Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe have crispy skin?
The best way to achieve a crispy and delicious skin on fried chicken is by frying chicken at 350 degrees F for about 15 to 20 minutes. To accomplish a crunchier crust, fry the chicken for longer.
How can you make Willie Mae’s fried chicken recipe less greasy?
You can cut the quantity of oil you use when making your fried chicken by three tablespoons per chicken.
You will also be able to prevent your fried chicken from getting too oily by using a small hole in the top of your skillet. This will allow all the fat to drain from the fried chicken and not sit on top of the liquid and get soggy.
What To Serve With The Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe?
I’m sure that you now want to dig into that Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe, but there are some sides that you should know about.
The fried chicken is best served with some green beans and corn. You can also use this as a side dish for your favorite family reunion.
How To Store Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe?
You can store the fried chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you cook the chicken, you should wait at least 3 hours before serving it, as this will allow it to rest and reach its maximum flavor. After three hours, you can do it with some cornbread or rolls.
How To Reheat Leftover Chicken?
Many may wonder how to reheat leftover Willie Mae’s scotch house fried chicken recipe. The best way to reheat leftover fried chicken is in the oven at 350 degrees F for 2 to 5 minutes until heated.
Conclusion
Fried chicken is a trendy dish in America. Many people are still preparing fried chicken in their homes today, just like it was done many years ago.
This shows how deep-fried chicken has become part of American history and culture and how difficult it is to eliminate something that is a favorite for many people.