Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Step 2

Prepare the cornmeal batter:  melt the ½ cup butter and set aside.  Whisk together the dry ingredients (cornmeal,flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt).

Step 3

In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs, and then add these to the dry ingredients.  Blend but don’t over mix.  Finally, drizzle in the melted butter and combine.

Step 4

In a cast iron skillet or other oven proof pan, melt Crisco over medium-high heat. When hot, sear the chicken on all sides until the skin is brown, about 3 minutes per side.

Step 5

Arrange the chicken pieces alternating leg/thigh with the meaty part of the leg toward the outside of the pan.  Pour cornbread batter over the chicken.

Step 6

Bake for about 25 minutes until the cornbread begins to brown on top and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Step 7

Cool for a few minutes, then slice around the chicken pieces and serve.