Cocorico Chicken Recipes

STOVE-FREE CHICKEN WITH RED BLISS POTATOES, SUMMER SQUASH AND CHILE-GARLIC BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to 325 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, mix the celery salt with a few pinches of kosher salt. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the butter, red chili flakes, garlic, the juice of half a lemon and half of the celery salt mixture.
• Put some of the butter mixture on a spoon and press it under the skin of the chicken from the cavity side. Continue to work more of the butter mixture under the skin and towards the front of the bird, evenly spreading it over the breast. Work the rest of the butter mixture under the skin of the legs. It's okay if it's coming out the side; it will drip onto the potatoes as it cooks. Season the interior and exterior of the chicken liberally with the remaining celery salt mixture and some salt and pepper.
• Put the potatoes and shallots in a large skillet. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put the skillet on the center of the grill. Arrange 2 bricks on either side of the skillet. Set a cooling rack on top of the bricks over the skillet. Put the chicken on the rack and reduce the heat to low. The grill should maintain a temperature of 325 degrees F.
• Roast the chicken for approximately 30 minutes. If the potatoes begin to brown too much, turn them and add a splash of water to deglaze the bottom. After 30 minutes, add the zucchini and yellow squash to the skillet. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees F, another 20 to 30 minutes.
• Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before carving. Top the potato-squash mixture with the basil, jalapeño slices, the juice of the remaining lemon half and some salt. Toss to combine. Carve the chicken and serve with potato-squash mixture on the side.

DOUBLE DIPPED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash the chickens and place in a large bowl. (Make sure to wash your hands after you handle raw poultry.) Mix the balsamic and the rosemary and pour over the chickens. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next day, remove the chicken and discard the balsamic. In a clean bowl, toss the chicken with the buttermilk. Remove the chicken pieces, reserving the buttermilk.
• Pour Arborio Rice Coating into a large plastic bag or container. Add the chicken in batches, shaking to coat. Put chicken back in buttermilk, adding more buttermilk if necessary to coat all the pieces. Dip the chicken pieces in the rice mixture to dredge them, then carefully dip them in the buttermilk again, and then dip a second time in the rice mixture. Pat well to remove excess flour. Refrigerate coated chicken for at least 1 hour to allow coating to adhere to flesh of the chicken.
• Heat about 2 inches of peanut oil in a heavy skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat to 335 degrees F. Slip some of the chicken pieces skin side down into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd; fry in batches (or 2 separate skillets) if necessary. Cook until chicken is cooked through and golden brown, about 10 to15 minutes per side. Drain thoroughly on a wire rack or crumpled paper towels and serve. Can be eaten hot, cold, or at room temperature.
• Put the rice in a blender and grind until very fine. Shake out into a large bowl and add the semolina, flour, salt, and pepper. Toss until well blended. Store in a sealed container in the freezer to maintain maximum freshness.
• Chef's Note: This is one place I do use table salt. In general I prefer kosher salt and gray salt, but kosher salt is too heavy and will not stay distributed throughout the coating.
• Yield: about 5 cups