Honey-Pecan Fried Chicken

The food photographed for the cover of Bon Appétit is meant to be mouth-watering. So it was just my luck that a plate of Honey-Pecan Fried Chicken graced the cover of the maiden issue of my vintage Bon Appétit cooking experiment.

When I showed the issue that would start my project to my daughter, she said, “You’re making that chicken, right?” The challenge was on.

I had never attempted to fry chicken on my own. However, I have clear memories of my mother, Buttons, making fried chicken when I was growing up. She took time to make a seasoned flour mix that was poured into a paper bag, and when the chicken parts were transferred to the bag, we were able to shake, shake, shake the bag to coat the chicken before we handed the bag back to Mom. She lowered the pieces into the hot oil for frying. My mom had a cute hairstyle and kitchen apron, and she looked like Betty Crocker frying that chicken up. I remember it being crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.  Delicious!

The dish on the 1986 cover was based on one from the Pirates’ House in Savannah Georgia, which still has Pecan Fried Chicken on its menu today. Many of the components in this recipe seemed familiar, but I thought I could amplify the flavor a bit.

To take on this fried chicken, I tried to channel Buttons as much as possible. First, I put on an apron. That’s an important rule in Buttons’s kitchen. Then I added much more seasoning to every part of the dish. I seasoned the chicken before marinating it. I seasoned the buttermilk marinade. And I seasoned the flour.

I also opted to reduce the amount of honey-pecan sauce that I offered with the chicken (from 2 sticks of butter to 4 tablespoons).

While the chicken sizzled, I quickly put together the honey-pecan sauce. That sauce filled the house with a smell that was soothing all the way up to the second floor. Alongside the crunchy, warm chicken, the sauce was sweet, syrupy, and nutty—just like having a slice of pecan pie with your meal.

I think I honored my Southern heritage with this foray into frying.  

An added benefit: the chicken was moist and flavorful the next day, when we ate leftovers for lunch.

Honey-Pecan Fried Chicken

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie

Southern chicken with a sweet surprise

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Prep Time 4 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 5 hours hrs

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 2 3 lb. frying chickens --cut into serving pieces (or an array of bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces of your liking)
• Cajun seasoning mix (I used Paul Prudhomme’s Poultry Magic)
• Peanut oil or Canola oil for frying

For the marinade

• 4 C. low-fat buttermilk
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 Tbsp. Tabasco
• 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dried thyme leaves

For the dredging mix

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. cayenne pepper
• peanut oil

For the honey-pecan sauce

• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• ½ cup coarsely chopped pecans

Instructions

 

For the chicken

• At least 4 hours before cooking, season the chicken pieces with the seasoning mix, according to your taste. (I used 2 Tbsp. of Poultry Magic.) Toss the chicken with the seasoning so that all pieces are equally covered.
• Mix the marinade ingredients in a very large nonreactive bowl, stirring well to combine. Add the raw seasoned chicken. Cover and marinate for 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• About 45 minutes before cooking, lift the chicken pieces out of the buttermilk marinade and place on a platter, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Combine flour and seasonings in large zipper plastic bag or large paper bag. Doing just a 3-4 pieces at a time, drop the chicken pieces into the bag, seal the bag, and shake to cover chicken pieces with flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Place floured pieces on a rack and allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before frying.
• Heat 1 ½ inches of peanut or Canola oil in deep large pot or electric fryer to 350 degrees. Place chicken pieces in frying oil, using tongs and being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until golden brown and crisp, about 7 minutes per side. Drain the pieces on paper towels on a large cookie sheet. Place pan with cooked chicken in a 200 degree oven to hold until all chicken is fried.

For the sauce

• Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Add the honey, stirring well, and bring to a simmer. Add the chopped pecans and allow to simmer an additional 10 minutes.

To serve

• Pour a bit of the sauce over chicken pieces, or serve sauce and chicken separately.

Notes

The chicken can be fried and refrigerated up to 2 days before serving. Either serve cold, picnic style, or reheat in a 375 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.

Adapted from The Pirates' House in Savannah, GA (Bon Appétit Jan. 1986)