Pan Fried Chicken Recipe

Start off with the chicken. Pull the skin off of it (or not if you don't care about the extra fat). If you are using leg quarters, use a small knife to separate the leg from the thigh. This can be done by feeling for the joint and slicing right through it. Next, in a bread bag, or on a plate, combine the flour and seasonings. Coat the chicken pieces in the flour by shaking them in the bag, or by dredging them in the flour on the plate. While you are coating the chicken, start the oil and margarine to cooking in a large iron skillet over medium-high heat. When the fat is good and hot, lay the chicken in. Don't crowd the chicken too close together. Use two skillets if you need to, with the same amount of fat in each skillet (1/3-cup each margarine and oil in each skillet; to use two skillets, you will need twice as much oil and margarine). Brown the chicken really good on the first side, this will take about 15 or 20 minutes. Turn the chicken and brown it on the other side too, about 15 more minutes. Then reduce the heat and let the chicken cook slowly for another 20 minutes. You can put the lid on the skillet while you are cooking the chicken if you like. Just take it off the last few minutes of cooking, so the chicken can crisp up. Grand total, the chicken should cook for a full 45 minutes. When the chicken is done, lay the pieces on a paper towel lined plate. You can serve it right away if you like, or you can make gravy to go with it. To make the gravy, pour off most of the fat in the pan. You need about 3 tablespoons of fat left in the pan. Find your flour that you coated the chicken with, add 1/4-cup of it to the pan. If you already tossed it out, add 1/4-cup of plain flour. Stir the flour and fat together until it bubbles into a smooth paste. Gradually add 2-cups of milk. Use a whisk to stir it smooth. Bring the gravy to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil it for one full minute. Add salt and pepper to taste, I usually add a bouillon cube or two too, for flavor.