perfect fried chicken?

Maybe not but it was pretty fantastic.

There was a definite lack of enthusiasm when my wife and oldest got home from a long run and ballet respectively upon hearing what I'd made for dinner. They walked in the door and asked "what did you make?" My reply of mashed potatoes, fried chicken and collard greens wasn't well recieved.

But I guess it is is probably nice to get home to find someone made you dinner no matter what it is.

The concept is super boring and lame and so american that it is cliche and man who wants that?

I was looking for something different too cook, Chicken was on sale last time I was at the wholefoods place so I bought a pile of it and used it in the meals for the past few days, a chicken stir-fry with peanuts, followed by some black beans, rice and topped with dry rub marinated diced chicken, and last night this classic of classics.

Best to keep them all simple. Potatoes just sliced and boiled russets, skins on, mashed with butter, olive oil, milk, salt and pepper and some powerderd sage. Simple.  Collards? de-ribbed, cut into 2-3cm squares, sauteed in olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic a splash of soy sauce and some balsalmic vinegar.

the chicken? simple is best still.

breast, rinsed and set between papertowels to make sure they are totally dry.

one egg beaten in a bowl

panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, powdered sage in another bowl

in a flat skillet equal parts bacon rendering and olive oil. just below the smoke point...

coat breast in egg wash, then cover in the bread crumb mix

put in oil/fat (should be a few millimeters deep in the pan)

turn down the heat a touch. cook for a bit, flip, cook till finished, remove and let rest on a rack in the oven at 200°F until all of the chicken is cooked (don't crowd the pan, one or two breasts per pan)

That's it.

The "dry" white meat breasts were moist and delicios and the flavors were simple but each ingredient was able to shine, the potatoes tasted like potatoes, the chicken was a moist and chickeny tasting bit of chicken and the pile of collards offered a good bit of umami to tie it all together.  Served with a bit of german mustard to add a minor note of heat and flavor without masking anything and the simplest of simple was elevated.

Cooking takes practice. It is a skill. Something you have to do, but it does start with basic ingredients, use good stuff and you'll be rewarded. It can take time too. Time that is well worth spending even if you are only cooking for yourself.

eat well
G