Mark Bittman's Cinnamon Scented Fried Chicken

"January Potluck", the theme for this week at I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC). This is our first potluck at IHCC for 2015 and we can cook from any of our previous and current featured chefs. I've made Mark Bittman's Cinnamon Scented Fried Chicken, first recipe that I've tried from Mark Bittman. 

Do you like fried chicken? Most probably the answer is a YES! What's not to love about fried chicken. Juicy, tasty meat with crispy delicious skin, (don't think about all that calories!). Mark Bittman's fried chicken is just that. His recipe is just like any other basic fried chicken, only difference is, he added a generous 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon, for that lovely cinnamon fragrance. All the dry ingredients are mixed in a plastic bag, toss in a couple of chicken pieces at a time until well coated, and fry in oil until cooked and crispy. I've added another teaspoon of ground cinnamon after I test-fried a piece of chicken wing and tried it, I felt that it needed a little bit more cinnamon, and more salt, adjust accordingly to your taste. Serve these fried chicken while still hot, but do not expect it to be so crispy crunchy, as there's only flour and seasoning that coats the chicken, but they do have a light, skin crispiness, and the meat is juicy, moist and tasty. They will lose their crispiness when they are no longer hot, but tastes still good.

Mark Bittman's Cinnamon-Scented Fried Chicken
(adapted from "The New York Times Chicken Cookbook")
lard and butter combined, or vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 good chicken, cut into serving pieces, or use 8 to 10 leg pieces (drumsticks and thighs), trimmed of excess fat

1. Choose a skillet or casserole at least 12 inches in diameter that can be covered. Add enough fat to come to a depth of about 1/2 inch, and turn heat to medium-high. If you are using butter, skim any foam as it rises to the surface.
2. While fat heats, mix together the flour and seasonings in a plastic bag. Toss chicken in bag, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, until well coated. Put pieces on a rack as you finish.
3. When oil is hot (a pinch of flour will sizzle) raise heat to high. Slowly add chicken pieces to skillet (if you add them all at once, temeperature will plummet). Cover skillet, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook for 7 minutes.
4. Uncover skillet, turn chicken and continue to cook, uncovered, for another 7 minutes. Turn chicken again and cook for about 5 minutes more, turning as necessary to ensure that both sides are golden brown.
5. Remove chicken from skillet and drain on paper towels. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

I'm linking this post to I Heart Cooking Clubs (IHCC), theme for this week "January Potluck"

and

Cook-Your-Books #20 @ kitchen flavours

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And I'm sharing this cookbook "The New York Times Chicken Cookbook, edited by Linda Amster" with Cookbook Wednesday hosted by Louise of Months of Edible Celebrations. It's a collection of chicken recipes from different chefs (some very impressive names: Jacques Peppin, Patricia Wells, Nigella Lawson, Mark Bittman, Daniel Boulud, Craig Claiborne and others) and with various methods of cooking chicken ; roast, steam, poach, bake, fried, slow-cooked, grill. A book for chicken lovers!