Since Louis is a fried chicken fanatic, he was somewhat fussy about the recipe he developed for the fried chicken at Blue Willow Inn. It is a simple recipe, but it works. It is a grand and true Southern fried chicken, nearly greaseless, but with a well-spiced crust that has a luscious texture, shattering at first bite and infusing the meat with flavor. It is one dish that is always served on the hot buffet for every meal at the Blue Willow Inn and referred to as “to-die-for fried chicken” by Savannah Magazine.
1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 quart (4 cups) water
1½ cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil
Wash the chicken thoroughly and remove the excess fat. Place the chicken in a large bowl and cover it with the water. Allow the chicken to sit in the water for 3 to 4 minutes. In a bowl mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Remove the chicken from the water, shaking off only part of the water since the chicken should remain moist. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture. In a large, deep, heavy skillet, on medium-high heat, add enough oil to cover the chicken. Place the chicken in the hot oil, and cook uncovered. Make sure the hot oil covers the chicken. Do not crowd the chicken pieces in the oil. Turn once to cook and brown the other side. When the chicken pieces are golden brown, remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels.
YIELD: 4 TO 8 SERVINGS