The Dish: Fried chicken from Little Water in Center City Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Today we're talking fried chicken.
We head to Little Water in Center City Philadelphia, where they dedicate a whole day to it, and it's a treasured family recipe.
"I think everyone digs on fried chicken," says chef and owner Randy Rucker. "It's kind of a low brow thing. You can come in here and eat with your hands and dig in."
Every Wednesday is fried chicken night at Little Water, which is just off Rittenhouse Square. They also offer half-priced bottles of wine.
Rucker just picked up his second James Beard award nomination for Best Chef - Mid Atlantic.
In November, Little Water officially became MICHELIN Guide Recommended.
Rucker and his wife Amanda also own River Twice on East Passyunk in South Philly. He's from Texas and she's a Philly girl.
At Little Water, it's all about seafood.
"We like to call it a coastal love letter to all the small bodies of water my wife and I have lived on," he says.
Rucker says the fried chicken on the menu is a nod to his roots.
"There was always fried chicken every Sunday after church, no doubt about that," he says. "Fried chicken started on Saturday, and it was kind of left out to dry overnight, and then by Sunday morning, when everyone was home from church, it was getting fried up."
He says that's the trick to a crispy outside and a moist inside.
"We try to get a good brine on it with buttermilk and salt, and we season the birds nicely," he says. "On the dredging aspect, this is a mixture of corn starch, baking powder, AP flour and something called crisp coat."
The trick is to dredge and then let it sit in the fridge overnight.
"That way, they stay nice and crispy, because it gets in every little crevice there," Rucker says.
The next day, dredge again!
"ABD," Rucker laughs. "Always be dredging."
Then, drop it in hot oil and watch it brown.
For the home stovetop, Rucker says cast iron works great.
On Wednesday's fried chicken nights, you get five pieces of chicken and smoked potato salad.
He serves hot honey to drizzle.
Little Water chose to keep their fried chicken recipe a secret, but CLICK HERE for one from Southern Living that follows a similar technique.
