Chicken Recipe

Choosing chicken is simple. No need to calculate carbs because there aren’t any. Less fat compared to other meats in most cases. Whether you count carbohydrates, fat grams, calories, points, your hard-earned pennies, or your blessings, chicken is a smart choice for you.

Chicken is a Zero Carb Choice. No carbohydrates. None. Zip. Zilch. It’s not marketing ploy or part of a diet craze: it’s a fact. Chicken, by itself, like other proteins of animal origin, is a carbohydrate-free food. For millions of Americans working hard to stay trim in a low carb world, chicken makes sense.

Chicken is a Less-Fat Choice. Chicken breast without the skin has less fat content than sirloin steak, eye round roast, pot roast, hamburger (even 90 percent lean), beef tenderloin, pork chops, ham, and other products you might eat instead. Chicken is lower in artery-clogging saturated fats than even salmon. For health-conscious eaters concerned with controlling their weight and blood pressure, this is important. If you aim to eat light and lean, chicken is for you!

Chicken is an Excellent Choice for Protein. We all need protein to grow, build and repair bone, tissue, skin, internal organs and blood. All meats have it. Why choose chicken? It’s economical; it’s lower in calories than competing meats. It’s versatile for cooks: sauté it, microwave it, broil it, bake it, or grill it. Two three-ounce chicken breast portions equal the amount of protein recommended for an average adult for the whole day. As a protein source, choosing chicken is a no-brainer!

Southerners weren't the first people in the world to fry their chickens. Almost every country has a version of fried chicken, or fricassee, from Vietnam's Gà Xaò to Italy's pollo fritto. It is thought that the Scottish people who settled the early South introduced the method here in the United States. They preferred to fry their chickens, rather than baking or boiling them as the English did. It wasn't until the early 1900s that recipes for fried chicken began appearing in popular "northern" cookbooks. Fannie Farmer's 1896 cookbook only refers to "Fried Chicken" as a fricassee served with "Brown Sauce" or as oven-baked "Maryland Chicken".

There are hundreds of recipes for southern fried chicken, and it is the center of more controversies than perhaps any other food item. From the seasoning and coating to the fat and cooking time, discussions of "real" southern fried chicken can start some lively debates throughout the South. Some people will tell you to remove the skin before battering, while others swear by double dipping the chicken. Some fry in oil, some in butter, others in lard or bacon grease.