Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is a comfort meal everyone loves.

Ingredients:

1 (4-5 lb.) chicken, cut into pieces

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups all-purpose flour for coating

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper to taste

2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

1. Cut up the whole chicken pieces and skin them if you prefer. You can leave the skin on if you want a crispier fried chicken.
2. Put the flour in a large plastic bag (The amount of chicken you cook will dictate the amount of flour you use). Season the flour with paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Dip chicken pieces in the buttermilk then put them in the bag with the flour, seal the bag, and shake to coat well. Only do this with a few pieces at a time to coat the chicken well.
4. Place the coated chicken on a cookie sheet or tray. Cover with a clean dish towel. Let the chicken sit until the flour is a paste-like consistency. This will give the best result.
5. Fill a large cast-iron skillet 1/2 full with vegetable oil. Heat until hot.
6. Layer as many chicken pieces as the skillet can hold. Brown the chicken on both sides.
7. When browned, reduce heat and cover the skillet; let cook for 30 minutes. The chicken should be cooked through but not crispy. Remove the cover, raise the heat again, and fry until crispy.
8. Drain the chicken on paper towels. Depending on how much chicken you have, you may have to do multiple steps in a few shifts. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven until all the chicken is fried.
9. Serve warm and enjoy!