If y'all didn't already know, I am a born and bred Georgia Peach, from the small (at least it used to be small) town of Covington, GA. I am an Southerner through and through, and let me tell you I just LOVE my comfort foods.
Beginning in childhood and lasting up until I went paleo in my mid-20s, I had a hard time eating meat. One of the few exceptions to that rule was fried chicken. My Gramma and my aunt could both make a mean batch of real Southern fried chicken, and I was sure happy to eat it when other meat was too much for me to handle. Confession: my favorite part might have been the breaded skin. But... I'd always eat at least some of the meat. :-P
You can imagine my joy when I opened up my advance copy of Kelly Bejelly's new cookbook Paleo Eats to find a recipe for real Southern Fried Chicken - marinated in an acidic medium (a critical step) - among the many delicious foods in its pages.
The rest of the book is filled with "paleo cooking from the heart", as Kelly puts it. I don't think there is a better way to describe her cooking style and all her recipes just make me feel so warm and fuzzy and happy! The book is absolutely a reflection of her fun, happy personality. It's warm and inviting and not too serious. She deserves major props for her photography skills, too - the photos in the book really showcase the food and make you feel like you're at home and can pull up a chair to dig right in!
Kelly is an incredibly creative and inventive paleo cook and if you have ever enjoyed any of the recipes from her website, you will just love this cookbook. Her cooking style and variety of recipes stand out as special among so many paleo books on the market today.
Here's a breakdown of all the recipes (111 in total) you'll find in this incredible cookbook:
- 13 Easy-To-Follow Recipes
- 10 Invigorating Breakfast Dishes
- 27 Satisfying Dinner Recipes
- 17 Can’t-Miss Sides and Salads
- 24 “Too-Good-To-Be-True” Desserts
- 18 Must-Have Pantry Recipes
- 5 Refreshing Drinks
Want to see inside? Check out this video tour through the book:
Paleo Recipes Galore! Going Paleo doesn't have to mean giving up your favorite comfort foods. In Paleo Eats, Kelly Bejelly focuses on Paleo recipes that make beloved traditional dishes Paleo-friendly. If you miss chocolate chip cookies hot from the oven, fried chicken on family picnics, the sweet-and-sour meatballs from your favorite Chinese restaurant, or your grandmother's peach cobbler, this book is for you.
Since I was so excited about the fried chicken, Kelly graciously agreed to let me share the recipe with you today. You are in for SUCH a treat with this chicken! While recipes like this shouldn't be staple meals, they are certainly OK to eat when you want to feel like a normal person at the dinner table. Eating strict paleo can be very emotionally trying (if there's one thing I've learned in 4.5 years, it's that!) and for your own mental health you need to let yourself have things like fried chicken and bread and pancakes every now and then.
Anyway, enough talk, let's get to the recipe! ENJOY!!
Southern Fried Chicken from Paleo Eats
Enjoy authentic Southern flavor with this fried chicken recipe from Kelly Bejelly's new cookbook Paleo Eats
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 3-4 hours to marinate
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Marinade Ingredients
- one 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, no added salt (I would recommend a partial box of Pomi tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp unrefined salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
Breading Ingredients
- 1.5 cups tapioca starch
- 1 tsp unrefined salt
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
For Frying
- 4 cups bacon fat, coconut oil, or lard (get this kind or this kind if you don't render your own at home
Cooking Directions
- In a large bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade. Add the chicken pieces to the bowl and toss to evenly coat with the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours.
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat, heat the bacon fat to 325 degrees. Try to keep the oil no higher than 325 degrees.
- Make the coating: Place the tapioca flour, salt, and pepper in a large paper sack and shake to combine. Drop the pieces of chicken into the bag and shake to coat the chicken on all sides.
- Place the chicken in the hot oil and cook until golden brown on both sides, roughly 10 to 15 minutes per side, and the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Remove and set on a rack over a rimmed sheet pan. Note: If the chicken is golden brown on the outside but is not yet fully cooked on the inside, set it on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet and place it in the oven at 350 degrees to finish cooking, roughly 8 to 10 minutes.
Recommended Ingredients:
These are the ingredients that I use in my own kitchen and think you'll love, too! They're available from my affiliate partner Amazon.com
