Mesquite Fried Chicken

This is one recipe you will "pluck" from Bargain Bites, and never look back!

Don't be a chicken, I dare you!

Complexity Level: Easy

Mesquite Fried Chicken
What You Need:
Chicken and Marinade
1 1/2 - 2 lbs Chicken (I used drumsticks and Leg quarters)
2/3 cup Milk
1 tbsp Mesquite Grilling Seasoning (Spice aisle)
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Breading
2 Eggs
1 tbsp Hot Sauce
3 cups Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

This recipe is so simple. Yet the chicken is so crunchy and full of flavor no one will believe you! And that's quite alright ;) Make this down as another success for the experiment books!!!

To start, place the chicken, and all the marinade ingredients into a galloon zippy bag.  Seal and shake to mix and coat.  Let this marinate at least 2 hours, or for best flavor sit over night.

After the marinating time has passed, it's time to get ready fer cookin'! Heat your fryer (for me it was a large soup pot with 2 1/2 quarts of oil) over medium heat. Thats not hot, not medium high, but medium.  While you are waiting for that to heat, crack your eggs into a medium mixing bowl. Beat with the hot sauce. The oil will come to, depending on your fryer, in about 10-12 minutes.

In a large 9X13 dish, add your flour, black pepper, and salt. Place a large colander on a plate to the side of this station. This will be to shake of extra flour before frying, to reduce the amount that burns off in the oil. In other words, doing this will help preserve your oil's flavor and lifespan.

Remove the chicken 1 piece at a time. No bother shaking off the cream mixture, because you will dunk this right into the flour. When coated, dip into the egg mixture, then return for a second sweep through the flour. Place this into the colander and shake of any excess flour (shake it right back into the flour to reduce mess.

Repeat until all the chicken is coated and fry 2-3 pieces at a time. The cooking time is 8-10 minutes on each side, twice over. If you coating begins to brown right away, your oil is way too hot.

If you have leftover flour (trust me here) Crack 1-2 eggs into it, adding more hot sauce, and stick until sticky. Drop by spoonfuls into your hot oil and viola! A delicious appetizer that looks as good as it tastes! Why waster flour when you can make it into something else!?

The chicken will be juicy, hot, crispy, and full of flavor. It almost doesn't even need ketchup... but for me ketchup is almost a side dish, so I pour it on! Although not a meat eater, I certainly indulged on those little flour bites -- not on the diet but what the hey, they were tasty!!!

Thanks for coming on over and fryin' up some good ol' country food with me!

Looks like my husband enjoyed the chicken ;)

Have a wonderful day!

Aimee Gonzalez