Southern pecans and Cajun seasoning give this fried chicken its Southern accent.

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch-wide strips
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup ground pecans
  • 2/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal
  • 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • Vegetable oil
  • Pickled Okra Salsa

Preparation

  1. Place chicken and buttermilk in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal and chill 1 hour. Remove chicken from buttermilk, discarding buttermilk.
  2. Combine pecans and next 4 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dip chicken in eggs; dredge in pecan mixture, shaking off excess. Arrange on a baking sheet. Pour oil to depth of 1 1/2 inches into a cast-iron Dutch oven or 12-inch (2 1/4-inch-deep) cast-iron skillet; heat to 350°. Fry chicken, in batches, 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown and chicken flakes with a fork. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Serve with Pickled Okra Salsa.

Note: We tested with Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning.

Pickled Okra Salsa

Ingredients

  • 5 whole pickled okra, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, drained

Preparation

  1. Pulse first 6 ingredients and half of tomatoes in a food processor 4 to 6 times or until thoroughly combined.
  2. Stir in remaining diced tomatoes. Serve immediately, or cover and chill.
  3. Store in refrigerator up to 7 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving

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