It all started with some really good fried chicken. It was tangy from dip in buttermilk, and yet his this incredible spicy edge from a poultry shake from an Alton Brown recipe. Unlike most fried chicken recipes, he recommended placing the spices underneath the flour. He had a persuasive reason for this: "Spices like paprika burn. By stashing them under the crust they'll be protected." Where is this going, you may ask?
One can't easily make fried chicken on a busy weeknight. It requires time and patience. But I wanted that intense taste of the poultry shake. So I took the idea of placing the spices underneath the flour, and decided to see what it could do for a roasted bird. Of course, high ovens temperatures would surely burn the spices if they were just sprinkled on the skin. So I placed the spices under the skin. Surely the fat underneath the skin would protect the paprika and I'd be left with that incredible taste.
As a replication of fried chicken this dish failed miserably. It had none of the crispy, tangy goodness of real fried chicken. But as a kicked up, highly seasoned roast chicken, it was astonishingly good. That poultry shake infused every ounce of the meat. This bird is unhinged and spicy. Have a glass of water close! And without the fried guilt, get seconds.
About the author: Nick Kindelsperger is a co-founder of The Paupered Chef, a blog dedicated to saving time and money while enjoying food in every way possible.
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