#SlapYaMamaCookoff

So we did a thing! And boy, it has been a long time since we have written a post, too! We entered the Slap Ya Mama Cookoff on Instagram. It was a difficult decision on what to cook for our entry. There were several ideas that came to mind before choosing my dish. Obviously, we are under “quarantine” due to the (COVID-19) and this has brought a lot of cooking at home. A dish I thought about cooking was the “after the boil” crawfish omelette topped with a creamy cheese sauce (this may be the next post?). Another idea was a deer sausage and chicken jambalaya. But I ultimately decided on one of my favorite things to eat…fried chicken. Here’s the “how to…” on how we did “Mama’s Cajsian Fried Chicken.”

Perfectly fried, crispy chicken is the epitome of soul cooking. It’s one of the hardest to time and get right at home. But if it is done right, you’ll get a juicy, crunchy bite to remember! Many of us have issues with either over-frying and drying out the chicken, or worst yet, under cooking and still being raw. Finding the best way to fry chicken at home is a struggle, so I share my way in hopes that you can prepare it too.

Mama’s Cajsian Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
1 whole young chicken (quartered)
1 c buttermilk
2 tbsp Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning

Dredge:
1.5 c of flour
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning
Canola oil

I began the preparation the night before by placing the chicken in a gallon Ziploc bag with buttermilk and Slap Ya Mama Cajun Seasoning. The mixture was then massaged in and left to marinate overnight.

To prepare the frying, I filled a 5-qt, cast-iron pot with canola oil and began bringing it to temperature (350 degrees Fahrenheit). Then, I prepared the dredge by combining the flour and Cajun Seasoning. The breast were dredged first and then placed gently in the hot oil. During the frying of the breast, I prepared the rest of the chicken by lightly dredging each piece and lightly shake to remove the excess. Lightly move the chicken in the oil to prevent sticking and over browning.

At this time, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Once all chicken has completed the frying process and reaches the golden brown color desired, remove from oil and place on a wire rack on top of baking sheet. Place the chicken in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Doing this it keeps the skin crispy, but also continues cooking the meat to the proper temperature of 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 mins.