flipSunday Fried Chicken
Sunday Fried Chicken
Why this dish? Fried chicken was THE dish for special occasions and Sundays in the 20th-century African American community — the one prepared to celebrate, to host, to honor. For a stage artist like Abbey Lincoln, whose meals were often taken late after concerts, this generous dish embodied the conviviality and culinary pride of Southern families.
Buttermilk-marinated chicken pieces, coated in seasoned flour and fried to a golden, crispy crust, juicy inside — the pride dish of soul food.
Fried chicken was for Sunday, for when we had company, it was the pride of the house. We'd let the pieces soak in buttermilk all night to make them tender, then roll them in well-seasoned flour. And you had to listen to the frying sing — when the sizzling died down, it was ready. A woman who could fry chicken right, in my world, she was respected.
- •Chicken pieces — one chicken (centerpiece)
- •Buttermilk — enough to cover (tenderizing marinade)
- •Flour — enough to coat (breading)
- •Salt, pepper, paprika — to taste (seasoning)
- •Lard or fat — for frying (cooking medium)
Sunday Fried Chicken
Buttermilk-marinated chicken pieces, coated in seasoned flour and fried to a golden, crispy crust, juicy inside — the pride dish of soul food.
Why this dish? Fried chicken was THE dish for special occasions and Sundays in the 20th-century African American community — the one prepared to celebrate, to host, to honor. For a stage artist like Abbey Lincoln, whose meals were often taken late after concerts, this generous dish embodied the conviviality and culinary pride of Southern families.
Fried chicken was for Sunday, for when we had company, it was the pride of the house. We'd let the pieces soak in buttermilk all night to make them tender, then roll them in well-seasoned flour. And you had to listen to the frying sing — when the sizzling died down, it was ready. A woman who could fry chicken right, in my world, she was respected.
Ingredients (period version)
- Chicken pieces — one chicken (centerpiece)
- Buttermilk — enough to cover (tenderizing marinade)
- Flour — enough to coat (breading)
- Salt, pepper, paprika — to taste (seasoning)
- Lard or fat — for frying (cooking medium)
Ingredients
- Chicken thighs and drumsticks — 8 pieces (centerpiece)
- Buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice) — 500 ml (marinade)
- Flour — 250 g (breading)
- Paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper, pinch of cayenne — 1 to 2 tsp each (seasoning)
- Neutral oil (or lard) — 1 liter for frying (cooking medium)
Method
- Marinate the chicken pieces in salted buttermilk for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Mix the flour with paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Drain each piece and coat generously in the seasoned flour, pressing firmly.
- Heat oil to 165–170°C and fry the pieces for 12–15 minutes, turning, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain on a wire rack (not paper, to keep crispy) and season immediately with salt.
How it was made : Fried chicken, inherited from West African and Scottish techniques blended in the South, became a strong identity marker. Unable to refrigerate, fried chicken traveled well and was long the meal Black travelers carried on segregated roads where restaurants were forbidden to them.
The contemporary twist : A drizzle of honey and a few drops of hot sauce at serving, 'hot honey' style, to wake up the crust.
Sources : Adrian Miller, Soul Food: The Surprising Story of an American Cuisine, One Plate at a Time (2013) · Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor, Vibration Cooking (1970)
Abbey Lincoln · Charactorium
