When a state has more chickens than people…

I always wonder about home cooks who buy shelf after shelf of cookbooks – then rarely refer to any of them. I’m one of those people. Of course what I do around here requires that I regularly eat in restaurants … but still….

One longtime inhabitant of my cookbook shelf is Ernest Matthew Mickler’s “White Trash Cooking,” published in 1986 by Ten Speed Press. Some of the hilarious recipes include Mary Linder’s Washday Soup (cooking is timed by loads of wash), Liver-Hater’s Chicken Livers, and the Kiss-Me-Not Sandwich (mustard and raw onion on white bread).

My favorite recipe in the book is Southern Fried Chicken. The instructions are simple and easy to understand: “You take a chicken and ya kill it. And you put it in a skillet. And you fry to a golden brown. That’s Southern cookin’, and it’s mighty fine.” Short on rhyme, but long on humor.

One of my few guestworthy dishes at home is fried chicken. I didn’t need a cookbook for that one: My southern-born mother perfected it, and many years (don’t ask!) have been dedicated to recreating her recipe. In fact, over the years, a number of local restaurant chefs/owners have quietly escaped to my kitchen when they need savory crunch and spice. But making it is a production! Between brining in [sorry that’s classified], marinating in [sorry, that’s classified], dredging and frying; I only wish it were as easy as Mr. Mickler suggests.

Around here, some of the best fried chicken is dished up where you’d least expect it. One of those spots is Gus & Gus’ Place on the Rehoboth Boardwalk. And on a good day, there’s no matching the delicious crust. Whatever they do, they do it right.

Another spot known for good taste is Kick n’ Chicken in Lewes and Milford. Charlie Pollard’s recipe produces an expertly spiced piece that’s not the slightest bit greasy. All Charlie will divulge is that it’s “…all about the oil temperature.” And yes, when people tell me they think fried chicken is greasy, I tell them to blame the cook, not that poor pullet. 

Speaking of crackle, the Jacona boys at Bushels Crab House on Coastal Highway add smoke to their chicken: They brine it in beer, smoke it over hickory, then fry to a golden brown. I’ve had it several times and it’s quite good.

Towering above the intersection of Rehoboth Avenue and First St. is Cooter Brown’s Sweet Tea-Brined Chicken. The tea imparts a new taste sensation and the chicken checks all the boxes: crunchy, juicy, and certainly not greasy.

Local James-Beard nominated chef Hari Cameron opined on my radio show that Delaware has more chickens than people. And yes indeed, we are certainly up to our gizzards in chickens, skillets and deep fryers. So it was inevitable that fried chicken would be a staple here at the beach. 

I’ll bet I missed a few, so get out there and explore!