Southern Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

How to make Southern Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy Recipe - Gravy is made from the drippings in the pan. Some cooks prefer to use milk, some use water, and in our variation we use a combination of chicken broth and cream.

Makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:
1 (2-1/2-pound) frying chicken, cut up
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup fat (all lard or 1/2 lard, 1/2 vegetable oil or shortening)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken broth
About 1/2 cup whipping cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:
Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt.

Put 1 cup flour in a paper or plastic bag. Drop chicken pieces, 2 at a time, into bag. Shake until each piece is thoroughly coated with flour. Lay chicken on a sheet of waxed paper.

Preheat oven to 300F (150C). In a large heavy skillet, heat fat. Fat should be 1/4 inch deep.

Reduce heat to medium-high. Add legs and thighs, skin-side down. Fat should sizzle when chicken is added, but should not be so hot that chicken burns. Brown legs and thighs 7 to 8 minutes or until deep brown on 1 side.

Turn and brown on second side, about 7 minutes. Line a baking sheet with brown paper. Remove chicken to baking sheet. Place in oven while you continue browning remaining chicken pieces.

Bake chicken 30 minutes after last pieces have been browned. Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add 2 tablespoons flour and stir until combined.

Whisk in chicken broth and cream. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until gravy is thickened and smooth. If it is too thick, stir in a little more cream to thin. Strain gravy through a fine sieve, if desired.

Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Place fried chicken on a warm serving platter. Serve gravy with chicken.