Black Beans PVD
Comfort From-Scratch Cooking with Adena “Bean” Marcelino
Growing up in Providence’s West End in the 1980s and gathering food from her family’s large garden, Adena Marcelino was steeped in cooking a...
Chef/owner Adena Marcelino, Black Beans, Providence
When I was growing up, fried chicken was the highlight of many Sunday dinners. Learning to properly fry chicken became a rite of passage! So, when I decided to become a chef, I knew I had to take my 20+ years of home cooking experience and fine-tune my recipe. I made it easy enough for anyone to make and fun enough that even kids will enjoy making and eating it. If you have time, allow the seasoned chicken to rest overnight in the wet mix.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 to 6 Serving(s)
Seasoning blend
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons each garlic powder, black pepper, all-purpose steak seasoning, paprika
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
Flour blend
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- ½ tablespoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons seasoning blend (see above)
Wet mix
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons classic yellow mustard (or 1 tablespoon white vinegar or pickle juice)
- 4 pounds skinless chicken tender strips, cut into ½-inch cubes, patted dry
- Neutral oil for frying
- Quick Barbecue Sauce for dipping*
*Quick Barbecue Dipping Sauce
- 1 cup ketchup
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon reserved seasoning blend
- Honey to taste, for sweetness
Preparation
Mix the ingredients for the seasoning blend in a small bowl, reserving 1 tablespoon for the dipping sauce. Mix the flour blend ingredients together in 1 bowl with 3 tablespoons seasoning blend and set aside.
Toss the cubed chicken in a large bowl with remaining 2 tablespoons seasoning blend until evenly coated. Mix in the wet mix ingredients. For best results, let chicken rest covered in the refrigerator overnight.
When ready to fry, add 2 to 3 inches oil to a heavy-bottomed pot and heat to 350°F. While the oil heats, put half the flour mix in a bowl to dip the chicken. Reserve remaining flour mix to use as needed (this way none goes to waste).
Once the oil is hot, coat chicken in the flour mix, a few pieces at a time, then carefully drop the chicken pieces in the oil, cooking in small batches to keep the oil hot. Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, or until most of the bubbles in the oil have slowed and disappeared.
Using a slotted spoon, remove to a paper-towel-lined plate or a clean, food-grade brown paper bag. Salt to taste. Keep warm until all the chicken is cooked.
Serve with dipping sauce. Enjoy!
*Quick Barbecue Dipping Sauce:
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until warm, stirring, and serve alongside the chicken nuggies.
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