Vegetarian

Fried Chicken of the Woods Mushrooms

January 28, 2019
5
3 Ratings
Photo by Mike Perdue
  • Prep time 25 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 6
Author Notes

When Frywall inventor Yair Reiner found a magnificent chicken of the woods mushroom growing right in his Brooklyn back yard, we just had to fry it up for you. Fried chicken of the woods has the crunch and texture of fried chicken, with the mild aroma of mushroom and forest. Vegetarians will go crazy for it – if they can keep the carnivores away.

Chicken of the woods, of the Laetiporus genus, are fairly common and easy to recognize. But as with any wild mushroom, you should consult an expert to positively identify any specimen you plan to eat.

You can get your own set of Frywall splatter guards right here at Food52: https://food52.com/shop...Mike Perdue

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Ingredients
  • 3 lbs. Chicken of the Woods mushrooms
  • 3 cups vegetable oil
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 tablespoons salt
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups buttermilk
Directions
  1. Wipe any dirt from the mushroom using a towel or brush. If you need to use water, do so sparingly. If the mushroom absorbs too much water, it will complicate the dredging and frying process.
  2. Trim any dense, fibrous parts from the base of the mushroom. Cut the soft parts of the mushroom into pieces about the size of small chicken cutlets.
  3. Dip the cutlets in the buttermilk until they're well coated, and place on a baking sheet.
  4. Mix together the salt and spices, and sprinkle generously on both sides of the mushroom pieces. Dredge 5-6 pieces in the flour, pressing the flour firmly into the mushroom until it's completely covered.
  5. In a 12" cast iron skillet, heat about 1/3 inch of oil to 325-350 degrees and place your Frywall into position. Using tongs, lower the dredged mushroom pieces into the oil. Flipping them after 3-4 minutes or when they're golden brown. Fry another 2-3 minutes on the flip side. Remove the cooked pieces to a wire rack.
  6. Repeat the previous two steps until all the mushroom cutlets are done.
  7. Garnish with herbs and serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce. For a full meal, accompany with mashed potatoes and creamed spinach.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

3 Reviews

Peony September 19, 2020
Chicken of the Woods tastes too good - simply saute in butter or oil, sprinkle with salt, perfection.
Anastasia July 15, 2020
This was so simple and sooo delicious! My partner noticed a small chicken of the woods on an oak and this was the first recipe we found. Tastes just like chicken nuggets except better! Can’t wait to find more of this mushroom :) I used a wok instead of cast iron, and made the pieces chicken nugget sized. They fried up in about 1.5 minutes.
Mike P. January 28, 2019
This unique recipe calls for a unique splatter guard. Get your Frywall here at Food52: https://food52.com/shop/products/3729-frywall