Parmesan Fried Chicken (grain-free : nutrient-dense : gluten-free : primal)

I am very excited to share this recipe for Parmesan Fried Chicken. With a crispy crust and juicy meat, this amazing recipe has quickly become a family favorite in our house. The ingredients are simple and nutritious: the chicken is coated with a grain-free mixture of Parmesan and arrowroot, and fried to perfection in a combination of butter and coconut oil. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

Parmesan Fried Chicken
Serves 5

• 5 skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, lightly packed
• 1/2 cup arrowroot starch
• 1/4 tsp finely-ground celtic sea salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
• one egg, preferably from pastured hens
• 1 Tb whole milk
• 1 Tb grassfed butter
• 1 Tb refined coconut oil

1.  Debone the chicken thighs. There is a simple tutorial here that shows how to remove the bones. (I save and freeze the chicken thigh bones until I have accumulated enough of them to make a pot of homemade chicken bone broth.)
2. Grate the Parmesan cheese. I like to use the small holes on a box grater to grate the Parmesan.
3. In a pie plate (or other wide-bottomed dish), combine the Parmesan, arrowroot, salt, pepper, and paprika. Stir to combine with a fork.
4. Break the egg into a medium bowl. Add 1 Tb milk, and beat with a fork until well-combined.
5. Set up the work-line with chicken, followed by the bowl of egg, followed by the Parmesan mixture.
6. Dip each chicken thigh into the egg mixture, and then into the Parmesan mixture. Coat all sides of the chicken with the Parmesan mixture.
7. Once all of the chicken is coated in the Parmesan mixture, melt 1 Tb each of butter and refined coconut oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. I use a 12-inch stainless steel skillet for this recipe.
8. Once the butter and coconut oil are shimmery-hot, add the chicken to the skillet.  My skillet is large enough to cook all 5 chicken thighs at once, but if your skillet is smaller, you may need to cook a few at a time. If desired, cover the skillet with a splatter screen to cut down on the mess on the stovetop.
9. Cook the chicken for about 8-10 minutes, until it has developed a nicely-browned crust. Then flip the chicken and cook the other side for 8-10 minutes. Do NOT move the chicken around much once it is cooking, as that will prevent the crust from cooking properly and make the chicken more likely to stick to the skillet.You may need to reduce the heat to medium if the skillet starts to get overly hot.
10. Use a probe thermometer to check the temperature in the thickest part of a chicken thigh. The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. This is an important step that ensures the chicken will be cooked perfectly.
11. Remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest for a few minutes before serving. The rest time allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat. 
12. Serve and enjoy! I love to serve Parmesan Fried Chicken with potatoes and simple buttered veggies or coleslaw.

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