Photo: Tyllie Barbosa; Food Styling: Carol Smoler; Styling: Barri Leiner Grant
GET THE LOOK Clockwise from top: Galvanized iron and wood tray, $39.95, Crate & Barrel. Plaid wool blanket, $75, Brimfield. Acrylic pitcher, $14.99, and acrylic stemless tumblers, $11.96 for set of four, World Market. Stainless steel and rubber flatware, $1.95 each, Crate & Barrel. Melamine platter, $10, and enamelware salad plate, $32 for set of four, West Elm.
Paul Fehribach, chef/owner
Big Jones, 5347 N. Clark St., 773-275-5725
Fehribach made his first dredge when he was seven years old. “It was horrible,” he says. Fortunately, the recipe evolved into a combination of “spicy herbaceous aromatics.” The brine, on the other hand, is a direct steal from the handwritten recipes of the legendary Edna Lewis Cookbook. Make this classic a day ahead and it’ll still be crisp and juicy at your picnic.
Makes 4 servings
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 14 to 20 minutes (per batch)
Special equipment: Long-stem clip-on fry thermometer, meat thermometer
Brine
2 qt. iced water
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp. minced onion (or onion powder)
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 cut-up frying chicken, about 4 lb.
1. Place the water and all the spices in a 4 qt. bowl with a fitted lid and stir gently to disperse the seasonings.
2. Add the chicken, making sure to completely submerge all the pieces. Cover tightly.
Do ahead: Make the day before and brine chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
Dredge
4 cups all-purpose white flour, sifted
1 cup fine-grind white cornmeal
1⅛ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. ground sage
4 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried thyme
1. Place the flour and cornmeal in a large mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle all the seasonings over the flour and combine thoroughly. (Gentle mixing with a whisk gets this job done handily.) After blending evenly, tightly cover the dry ingredients and set aside until needed.
Do ahead: Not necessary, but making the dredge a day or two ahead will make your fry day easier.
Fry
1. Place 3 quarts of your favorite vegetable oil in a 2-gallon heavy-bottomed cast-iron pot. Attach the clip-on thermometer and heat to 375 degrees.
2. While the oil is heating, transfer your dredge to a shallow pan and lay the chicken, still dripping wet, in the dredge. Coat each piece thoroughly and leave in the dredge a few minutes to soak up more flour.
3. When the oil reaches 375 degrees, lay the breasts, skin side down, in the hot oil. Cook for 3 minutes before adding the thighs.
4. One minute later, add the legs and wings. The cold chicken will lower the temperature of the oil, so check the thermometer to maintain at least 325 degrees.
5. After 10 to 12 minutes, when the skin is crispy and golden brown, turn the chicken over. Cook another 6 to 8 minutes, until the thickest part of the breast registers 155 degrees internally on a meat thermometer.
6. Drain on a wire rack or towel. Serve at once, or cool to room temperature before refrigerating.
Tips and tricks:
Don’t be intimidated by the long list of spices. Both the brine and the dredge are superquick to make, and the chicken will turn out supermoist.
If you have a deep fryer, use it. Set the temperature at 375 degrees and cook in batches. Breasts take 18 minutes; thighs take 15; and legs and wings 14. Use a meat thermometer on the breast, as above.
Coddle your chicken. Cool to room temperature, line a large platter with paper towels, and arrange with as little stacking as possible. Loosely cover with foil or plastic wrap. Do not use anything airtight, or the crust will go limp.
Take a bow.
THE CHEAT
Order fried chicken from Crisp (2940 N. Broadway, 773-697-6910, crisponline.com). It makes four varieties (all delish, all priced at $13.95 for a whole chicken), but get the Plain Jane—it’s the least messy.
NEXT: Double Dutch Picnic Punch recipe »
Double Dutch Picnic Punch
Paul McGee, mixologist/partner
Three Dots and a Dash, 435 N. Clark St., 312-348-4759
“This drink is really refreshing and perfect for the warmer weather,” says McGee, who opens his latest bar this month below Bub City. In this easy-drinking libation, “double dutch” takes on a dual meaning: The liquors, genever and curaçao, originate from the Netherlands and Caribbean Netherlands, respectively. “Plus, [it refers to] the jump rope game that you probably think you’re pretty good at after a few cups of this punch,” McGee adds.
Makes 10 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
½ cup Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
½ cup Bols Genever
¾ cup fresh lime juice
1½ cups Banks 5 Island Rum
1. Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and heat until the sugar crystals dissolve and mixture becomes syrupy. Allow to cool.
2. In a punch bowl, combine all ingredients.
3. Add cocktail ice (see tip) a few minutes before serving. McGee recommends a 50/50 punch-to-ice ratio.
4. Stir with a ladle for a few minutes to allow for some dilution.
Tips and tricks:
Mix the punch at home and transfer to a lidded canteen to transport.
Purchase cocktail ice at your grocer’s liquor department: The cubes will be larger than those from your freezer and will last longer.
Serve in punch cups with a fresh orange peel garnish.
Avoid skipping rope after consuming.
THE CHEAT
Pick up Gosling’s premixed Dark ’n Stormy cocktails (four-pack for $9.99) from Binny’s Beverage Depot (binnys.com for locations). You can store them in a cooler and sip straight from the 8.4-ounce cans.
More picnic goodies:
Starters: Wine & Cheese | The Main Event: Fried Chicken & Picnic Punch | The Side Show: Salads | Sweet Endings: Brownies & Lemon Cream Pie