Now that the meatball kick is over, I can get back to some other recipes. I have found myself trying a few different fried chicken recipes lately, and even though it may not be the healthiest choice in the world as far as ways to make chicken, it sure does taste good. There is nothing quite like a piece of crispy fried chicken for dinner or even better, for lunch the next day. I had a craving for fried chicken with some gravy, so I was glad when I came across this recipe on the Food Network for skillet fried chicken with a black pepper gravy. It is a simple recipe that has excellent taste and flavor.

Skillet Fried Chicken with Black Pepper Gravy

One 2 to 2 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or chicken parts (legs, thighs, breasts and wings)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken stock or water

Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and set the chicken aside. Place the flour in a shallow plate and season the flour with the cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Toss the mixture to combine it well and set it aside.

Pour the canola or vegetable oil into a large cast-iron skillet to a depth of about 3/4-inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted into the oil registers 375 degrees. Set up paper bags or layers of paper towels nearby for draining the chicken after frying.

Starting with the dark meat, one piece at a time, add the chicken to the seasoned flour and turn the chicken to coat it well on both sides. Shake the chicken to remove any excess flour. One piece at a time, add the chicken to the hot oil. The oil should not quite cover the chicken. Do not overcrowd the skillet as it can be dangerous and cause splattering and make the chicken steam instead of fry, leaving your with soggy chicken. Cook the chicken in batches if needed.

Fry the chicken pieces, turning them once or twice, until the coating on chicken is rich golden brown on all sides, about 10 to 14 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cover the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the juices run clear when a piece of chicken is pricked with a knife, about another 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh should register 170 degrees. Remove the chicken and drain the chicken on the brown paper bags or the paper towels.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully pour off most of the grease into a metal bowl or can, leaving about 2 or 3 tablespoons in the pan with the browned crumbs. Reduce the heat to very low. Add 4 tablespoons of the remaining flour from the coating. Stir together the grease and the flour with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring often, until the mixture is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and the chicken stock or water. Cook, stirring often, until the gravy is smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add a heaping pinch of black pepper. taste and adjust the seasoning with salt.

Serve the gravy with the chicken and rice or mashed potatoes.

I only made 5 pieces of chicken, all thighs, so as not to overcrowd the pan and that was more than enough for the three of us for dinner. you can always make a few batches if you need to or use 2 pans at the same time. in any case, this is a very simple recipe that yields excellent fried chicken with nice, crispy skin. The best part of the meal though is the gravy that goes with it. It has a great pepper flavor and is rich and creamy, making it perfect for mashed potatoes or rice (I used masked potatoes last night). you can round out the meal with a nice vegetable (like corn on the cob) and some homemade biscuits and you have a great meal of fried chicken during a weeknight.

That’s all I have for today. Check back next time for another recipe. Until then, enjoy the rest of your day and enjoy your meal!