Nola Cuisine

I had a taste for Southern Fried Chicken last night, so that is what I made. Sometimes you need to scratch your own itch, and boy did I do some scratchin’ last night, this was the best batch of Fried Chicken that I’ve made to date. Perfectly seasoned, crispy as heck, tender and juicy on the inside. Hey sometimes we need to pat ourselves on the back too.

This recipe is a combination of Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken recipe and my Mom’s. My Mom really taught me how to fry chicken well, she showed me how to turn it often to prevent over browning, and how to know when it’s done. She makes it so well that I often get cravings for it, like the one I had last night, and Dad says that it would be his last meal request if ever facing the firing squad.

Here is my version of what I’ve learned so far about Fried Chicken:

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

3-4 lbs Chicken parts, I like legs because that’s what Mom always made, plus it’s hard to dislike food with it’s own handle.
Water, enough to cover the chicken
Kosher salt, enough to make the water taste salty (obviously tasted before adding the raw chicken.)

Peanut Oil for frying, enough to fill a large cast iron skillet about half way

3/4 Cup Flour
4 Tbsp Kosher Salt
2 tsp Freshly ground Black Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne

Combine the water with the salt, submerge the chicken and let sit in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. This will help make the chicken more tender and add flavor.

After the time has passed drain the chicken and pat dry with paper towels.

Place the flour, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a paper lunch bag. Mix well. Add the chicken two pieces at a time, shaking to coat well with the seasoned flour, shake off the excess. When all chicken is floured, set aside for twenty minutes before frying. This step will help make the finished product more crisp.

Heat the peanut oil to 360 degrees F. Fry the chicken in batches, turning often (about every ten minutes) so that it cooks evenly, and doesn’t get too brown too fast. Try to fry equal sized pieces in the same batch. When the chicken looks close to being done hold it with tongs and pierce (be careful; the oil will sputter) with a carving fork, then squeeze to let the blood out (a la Austin Leslie). Cook until done. If you’re not sure if it’s done, dig into one piece with your tongs, down to the bone to see if it is cooked through. It should take about 15-20 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels or a wire rack.

More info on Fried Chicken:

Austin Leslie Bio
Austin Leslie’s Fried Chicken Recipe

Be sure and check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes!

This is the last of the fancy New Orleans Chicken dishes that I’m going to feature for awhile, and I finished with my absolute favorite.
This dish was created by the great dutch Chef Paul Blange during the early days of Brennan’s Restaurant. It’s named for the Baroness Micaela Pontalba, famous for supervising the construction of the Pontalba buildings on the uptown and downtown sides of Jackson Square, and for the beautification of the square itself in 1848.
Legend has it that her friend Andrew Jackson, once failed to raise his hat to the Baroness, so when she funded the statue baring his likeness she insisted that sculptor Clark Mills depict Jackson forever raising his hat toward her apartment building. Probably not true, but it’s one hell of a fun story.

The Recipe:

Chciken Pontalba Recipe

2 Boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs, lightly pounded
1 Large Baking Potato, cut into 1/2 inch dice
3/4 Cup Ham, Diced
1 Small Onion Diced
1 1/2 Cups Mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 Tbsp Garlic, Minced
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
2 Tbsp Italian Parsley, Minced
1/2 Cup All purpose Flour
Kosher salt & Black Pepper
Cayenne
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, in all
Vegetable Oil
1 Recipe Bearnaise Sauce

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the Potatoes in 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil and season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Layer on a baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes or until golden and crispy.

In the meantime, season the flour with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Season the thighs also, then dredge them in the flour.

When the potatoes are almost ready, heat 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp Vegetable Oil in a saute pan. When the fat is hot, brown the chicken quickly on both sides, place on a ovenproof dish and finish in the oven.

In the same saute pan, add the ham and onions, saute until golden brown and the onions are tender. Add the mushrooms, garlic, and a Tbsp more butter. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine, and cook until the alcohol evaporates.
Fold in the brabant potatoes from the oven and 1 Tbsp of the parsley, taste for seasonings. just before serving incorporate the last Tbsp of butter.

Split the potato mixture between two heated plates. Top each with a chicken thigh, and finish with a generous portion of Bearnaise sauce. Garnish with minced parsley.

Serves 2.

More fancy New Orleans Chicken dishes at Nola Cuisine:

Chicken Clemenceau
Chicken Bonne Femme
Chicken Rochambeau

Since I mentioned the fancy New Orleans chicken dishes in my Chicken Clemenceau post, I figured I would feature a few more. This is a favorite at Antoine’s* though they use a Brown Rochambeau Sauce, where I use Marchand de Vin.

*Note* - Antoine’s reopened December 29th.

Chicken Rochambeau Recipe

2 Chicken Breasts about 4-6 ounces each
2 Slices French Bread, 1/2 inch thick rounds, toasted under the broiler on both sides
2 Round Slices of Ham, lightly browned in butter
1/2 Recipe Marchand de Vin Sauce
1 Recipe Bearnaise Sauce
Parsley, finely chopped for garnish

For the Poaching Liquid:
3 Lemon slices
1 sprig Parsley
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp Black Peppercorns
1 tsp Kosher Salt

Place the lemon slices, parsley, peppercorns, the bay leaf, and salt in a large saucespan. Cover with water by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the point where the water is just steaming, just under a simmer. Add the chicken breasts, poach until they are just cooked through.

To assemble:
In the center of two heated serving plates, place the french bread rounds. Next, place the ham and top with a generous portion of Marchand de Vin. Place the chicken on the Marchand de Vin, finish with a generous portion of Bearnaise. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

Makes 2 Servings

More New Orleans Chicken Recipes:

Chicken Bonne Femme
Chicken Clemenceau

This dish is one of the famous Chicken creations of New Orleans, along with Chicken Bon Femme (different from the French), Chicken Pontalba, and Chicken Rochambeau. It’s named for Georges Clemenceau (1841-1929), a French statesman who became the French Premier in 1906.
I’m not sure who created this dish, but Galatoire’s serves a wonderful version, which this one is loosely based on. It’s generally made with a whole cut up chicken, but I’ve used chicken breast here because it was just my wife and I for dinner, and that is what I had handy.
Brabant Potatoes, are usually fried, but I baked them here with great results.
Although I generally object to anything army green in my cooking, I prefer the canned baby peas (petit pois) for this recipe. They don’t look as pretty as fresh or frozen, but I think the flavor and texture are better, and more authentic.

Chicken Clemenceau Recipe

4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, in all
2 Chicken Breasts, lightly pounded
2 Cups Mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 Small Onion, chopped
2 Green Onions, sliced
3 Large Cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil, in all
1 Large Russet Potato, 1/2 inch dice
2 Tbsp Italian Parsley, minced
1 Cup Small Green Peas, canned (Petit Pois)

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss the diced potatoes in 2 Tbsp of the oil and season liberally with kosher salt and black pepper. Place on a baking sheet, and into the oven for 45 minutes, occasionally turning them with a spatula for even browning.

When the potatoes are almost golden brown, heat 2 Tbsp of the butter, and 1 Tbsp of the oil in an ovenproof skillet. When the fat is bubbling and hot, add the chicken breasts, which have been seasoned with kosher salt & black pepper, brown quickly on both sides, remove to a plate.

In the same hot pan add the mushrooms, saute until golden brown. Add the onions and garlic, season with a little salt and pepper, saute until the onions are almost tender and have some color. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, cook for 2 minutes. Stir in 1 Tbsp of the parsley.
Place the chicken back in the pan and cover with some of the “sauce.” Place in the oven until the chicken is just cooked through.

To Assemble:
Divide the brabant potatoes between two warmed plates, making a pile in the center, place a chicken breast on each.
Melt the remaining butter into the sauce, and fold in the Petit Pois until just warmed through. Divide the sauce over the two chicken breasts and garnish with the remaining parsley.

Serves 2.

More New Orleans style Chicken Recipes at Nola Cuisine:

Chicken Bonne Femme Recipe
Chicken Pontalba
Chicken Rochambeau

Related Recipes:

Brabant Potatoes Recipe

The French term Bonne Femme translates to Good Woman or Good Wife, but in French culinary terms it generally means with mushrooms, which is not always the case in Creole cooking. Antoine’s does (or did, until they reopen) an Oyster Bonne Femme which is wonderful, but quite a bit different from most Creole, Bonne Femme dishes, they also make a version of Chicken Bonne Femme. Here is my version of the Creole classic:

Creole Chicken Bonne Femme Recipe

1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
2 Boneless, skinless Chicken Breasts, pounded lightly for even cooking
2 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/8″ rounds
3/4 Cup Spanish Onion, diced
1/8 Cup Green Onions, Sliced
2 Cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Cup Ham, diced
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
1/4 Cup White Wine
1 Tbsp Italian Parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
Sliced Green Onions for Garnish

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the chicken breast liberally with salt and pepper. Add the Olive Oil and 1 Tbsp of Unsalted Butter to a medium high saute pan. When hot add the chicken breasts and saute until golden brown on both sides, set aside.
Add the potatoes to the hot saute pan and saute until tender. Add the onions, ham, and garlic, saute until the onions are translucent, fold or stir gently as to not break up the potatoes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, cook for 2 minutes. Season the “sauce” with salt & black pepper to taste. Gently nestle the chicken breasts in the sauce and place in the oven until the chicken is just cooked through.
Remove from the oven, place the chicken on 2 heated serving plates. Add the parsley, and the remaining 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter to the sauce, shake the pan until it is incorporated. Divide the sauce over each chicken breast, garnish with the green onions and serve.

Serves 2.

More Creole Chicken dishes at Nola Cuisine:

Chicken Clemenceau
Chicken Pontalba
Chicken Rochambeau

Also check out my ever growing Index of Creole & Cajun Recipes!