It’s National Fried Chicken Day!

What do you call “national friend chicken day” in South Carolina? That’s easy: Every day …

For the rest of the country, though, “national fried chicken day” is celebrated on July 6.

Fried chicken – which dates back to the Middle Ages – is predominantly associated with the South and, well, black people. In fact not one but two professional golfers have made fried chicken jokes at the expense of Tiger Woods (Fuzzy Zoeller in 1997 and Sergio Garcia earlier this year).

That’s pretty funny when you consider the dish originated in lily white Scotland …

Anyway, we love fried chicken. Love it, love it, love it. Our favorite is Bojangles’ spicy recipe, but we don’t discriminate.

And judging by our state’s obesity rankings, neither does the rest of South Carolina …

Need a good fried chicken recipe? Try this one from the Assisting Angels caregivers up in Gray Court, S.C.

Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

1 – 4 lb. chicken, cut up
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper
2 quarts oil for frying

1) Place flour in large Ziploc bag; add paprika, salt and pepper to taste.
2) Dip chicken pieces into the buttermilk and then into the flour. Seal the bag, shaking to coat the chicken. Do this procedure 1 or 2 pieces at a time.
3) Place coated chicken pieces on a tray and cover with wax paper. Let sit for a few minutes until flour has turned paste-like.
4) Heat oil until hot (being very careful!). A few pieces of chicken at a time, place into hot oil and brown on both sides. Reduce heat and cook, covered, for 30 minutes. Turn up heat again to make chicken crispy.
5) Drain pieces of chicken on paper towels, while you fry the remaining pieces. Finished chicken can be kept in a slightly warm oven until the rest is done, if necessary.

Mmmmmmmmm … finger-lickin’ good, people.

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