Mexican
Eddie Hernandez's Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Green Chile–Horseradish Sauce
- Prep time 2 hours 5 minutes
- Cook time 10 minutes
- Serves 8
Author Notes
These cutlets have the same flavor profile as traditional Southern fried chicken. The difference is that they cook in less than ten minutes. I added horseradish to the cream sauce, and of course I had to throw some chiles in there for another layer of mild heat. Pickle relish adds tartness and sweetness. When Martha Stewart visited while she was in town, this was the special that day and she ordered it. She called over one of our servers and asked what was in the sauce that made it so good. I imagine she was surprised when he told her.
Excerpted from Turnip Greens & Tortillas: A Mexican Chef Spices Up the Southern Kitchen, © 2018 by Eddie Hernandez and Susan Puckett. Photographs © 2018 by Angie Mosier. Reproduced by permission of Rux Martin Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved. —Food52
Test Kitchen Notes
Featured in: This Quickie Fried Chicken is Spicy, Crunchy & Oh-So-Juicy —The Editors
Ingredients
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
-
1 cup
all-purpose flour
-
2 teaspoons
ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
-
3/4 teaspoon
kosher salt
-
2½ pounds
chicken breast cutlets, ¼ inch thick or less
-
2 cups
buttermilk
-
3 cups
vegetable oil, for frying
-
1
recipe Green Chile–Horseradish Sauce (below), for serving (optional)
-
1 dash
Sriracha sauce, for serving (optional)
- Green Chile–Horseradish Sauce
-
8 tablespoons
(1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
-
1
4-ounce can mild green chiles
-
2 teaspoons
prepared horseradish
-
1/2 cup
sweet pickle relish
-
2 cups
heavy cream
-
1 pinch
salt
Directions
- Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
- Put the chicken and buttermilk in a large bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Put the seasoned flour in a shallow dish.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a large, heavy skillet or Dutch oven over high heat to 350 degrees.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour on both sides. Gently place in the oil and cook in batches, turning, until golden brown and crispy on the outside and cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to the paper towel– lined baking sheet. Allow the oil to return to 350 degrees between each batch.
- Serve each cutlet with 1 /4 cup of the sauce and Sriracha, if desired.
- EDDIE'S WAY: Serve with steamed or sautéed green beans or spinach and warm tortillas.
- Green Chile–Horseradish Sauce
- Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the chiles, horseradish, and pickle relish. Cook for 3 minutes and add the heavy cream. Increase the heat to medium-high and let boil for 3 minutes, watching closely to make sure the mixture doesn’t boil over. Allow the mixture to cool slightly, then transfer to a blender or food processor and puree, being very careful with hot liquids in the blender, as they can overflow suddenly. Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer back into the saucepan. Add the remaining 8 tablespoons butter, season with salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced to about 2 cups. It should be fairly thin. Keep warm until ready to use.
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