Greek Marinated Fried Chicken
Although
the method is very similar to the classic marinated and fried chickens
of France, the marinade here has a particularly Greek aroma with its
oregano, juniper berries, and coriander seeds. The marinade is also
lovely on grilled chicken.
Serves 4 to 5
- 1 frying chicken,
weighing no more than 3 pounds, skinned and cut up for frying
- 1/4 cup extra
virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly
squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup dry
white wine
- 2 large garlic
cloves, minced
- 1 small onion,
thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf,
crumbled if dried, chopped if fresh
- 1 tablespoon
chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
- 6 juniper
berries, crushed
- 6 coriander
seeds, crushed
- Black pepper
- Salt
- 1 cup all-purpose
flour
- Olive or peanut
oil (or a combination), for frying
- Parsley or
fresh oregano sprigs and 1 1emon cut into wedges, for garnish
One: Wash the chicken and pat dry. Put them in a large non-reactive
glass or stainless steel bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the olive
oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, onion, bay leaf, oregano, juniper
berries, coriander seeds, and a few liberal grindings of pepper. Whisk
until well-mixed and pour over the chicken, fuming the chicken until
it is uniformly coated with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate, marinating
for 2 hours or overnight.
Two: Drain the chicken, pat dry, and sprinkle liberally with salt.
Spread the flour on a plate or place it in a paper or large Zip-lock
plastic bag. Fill a large cast-iron skillet with enough olive or peanut
oil (or combination of both) to come halfway up the sides, about 1
inch deep. Over medium-high heat, bring the oil to 375°F (hot
but not smoking).
Three: Beginning with the dark meat roll the chicken in the flour
or drop it a few pieces at a time into the bag of flour, close the
top, and shake until it is coated. Shake off the excess flour and
slip the chicken into the hot fat.
Four: Fry until the bottom is sealed and beginning to color, about
4 minutes. Turn, and brown the second side. Reduce the heat to medium
(325°F) and fry, turning once, until the chicken is cooked through
and golden, about 15 minutes more.
Five: Lift the chicken from the fat and drain well on a wire rack.
Transfer to a platter and garnish with the sprigs of herb and lemon
wedges and serve at once.
Notes: The Greeks also half-fry and bake this chicken, which is a
good way to prepare it when you have company or are preparing another
dish that will require all of your attention. Position a rack in the
center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Fry the chicken
in step 4 until it is lightly browned on both sides, about 3 minutes
per side. Transfer it to a baking sheet and bake it in the center
of the oven until the chicken is cooked through, about 45 to 50 minutes.
Excerpted from Fried Chicken by Damon Lee Fowler Copyright© 1999 by Damon Lee Fowler. Excerpted by permission of Broadway, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
