Chicken Maryland with Corn Fritters and Fried Banana
Inspired by techniques from Serious Eats and America's Test Kitchen.
Milk-soaked chicken is pan-fried until golden and tender, served with a creamy pan gravy, sweetcorn fritters and fried banana.
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Method
- 1
Soak the chicken. Soak the chicken in the milk with the salt and pepper for 30 minutes to 4 hours in the fridge. This gently seasons the meat and helps keep it moist through frying.
- 2
Dredge and rest. Mix the flour with the paprika. Lift the chicken out, let it drain, then dredge it well in the flour mixture and rest on the rack for 10 minutes so the coating sets slightly before frying.
- 3
Fry and steam through. Heat 1cm of oil in the large pan over medium-high to about 175°C. Add the chicken skin-side down without crowding the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes until golden, then turn, cover with the lid and lower to medium heat, cooking for 12-15 minutes, turning once - the lid traps steam, which is what cooks bone-in pieces through evenly.
- 4
Re-crisp and finish. Uncover, raise the heat, and fry for 3-5 minutes more to re-crisp the skin, until the thighs reach 80°C. Drain on the rack and keep warm in a low oven around 100°C.
- 5
Make the gravy. Pour off all but 2 tbsp of fat from the pan, keeping the browned bits. Whisk in the 2 tbsp of flour over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, then slowly whisk in the milk and simmer for 3-5 minutes until it coats a spoon, seasoning well with pepper.
- 6
Make the fritters. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, egg and milk to a thick batter, then fold in the corn. Heat the oil in the second pan over medium, drop in 8 spoonfuls of batter, flatten slightly, and cook for 2-3 minutes a side until golden and set.
- 7
Fry the banana. Wipe out the pan, melt the butter over medium heat, and fry the banana halves cut-side down for 1-2 minutes a side until golden and just soft.
- 8
Serve. Serve the chicken with the fritters, fried banana and gravy.
Storage
Keep chicken, gravy and fritters separately in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat chicken in the oven until piping hot (74°C) to keep it crisp, and gently warm the gravy on the hob, loosening with a splash of milk if needed. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- large heavy frying pan with a lid (30 cm), cast iron if possible
- second frying pan for fritters and bananas
- shallow dish
- wire rack over a tray
- whisk
- instant-read thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 915 kcal |
| Protein | 43.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 51.2 g |
| of which sugars | 15.1 g |
| of which free sugars | 0 g |
| Fat | 60 g |
| of which saturates | 15.1 g |
| Fibre | 3.5 g |
| Salt | 2.24 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
4.7 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
