classy but trashy

Classhy Prince n' Pauper T.V. Dinners

Bitchin' Chicken
Part 2- Cooking Challenge

This week is the fourth and final installment of my Prince n’ Pauper T.V. Dinner Classh Courses. It’s been a lot of work and even more fun! So having already covered three of the original T.V. dinners (Turkey Dinner, Meatloaf, Salisbury Steak) I only have Fried Chicken left to work with. Hence, I introduce, Bitchin’ Chicken!

Try as I might, I was unable to find a fried chicken frozen dinner with any sides other than mashed potatoes and corn. But, that made sense considering the entrée, so I went ahead and grabbed the Banquet version of the meal:

My two additions to the dish were some beautiful purple potatoes and a leaf of Swiss chard (to keep it Southern). I boiled my small potato with its skin still on until it was just cooked through. I then cut it into thin slices and set it aside while I sautéed up my chopped chard.

My apartment began to smell like a KFC as the tray heated in the microwave. I let the dish cool significantly before I began dissecting it, since the chicken was piping hot! I first arranged my sliced potatoes in a crescent on my presentation plate. I then stirred up the mashed potatoes—which, for the record, were texturally the oddest, grainiest micro taters I’d seen yet! After placing a dollop of the white spuds on top of the sliced purple ones, I carefully peeled the fried chicken skin off the meat. Being a bit of a squeamish meat eater, I don’t take too kindly to “meat on the bone” and the dark variety definitely creeps me out. So, I sliced a nice chunk of all white meat away from the pesky bone and placed the cutlet atop the mashed potatoes. Taking a spoonful of my cooked chard from the pan, I piled this on top of the chicken and then topped the whole thing with a snipping of crispy fried chicken skin—you know, the best part! Finally, I fished some of the corn from it’s grayish, watery bath and sprinkled them over the purple potatoes. Beautiful!

Once again, my choice in additions brought a pop of color to the plate and made the meal infinitely more appetizing. The taste test, however, proved that soggy corn and instant potatoes do no one any favors. My bite of dry chicken, chard and skin, however, was moderately tasty, though I suspect it was the dash of garlic salt in the chard and flavor of the skin doing all the talking there. Once again, I really enjoyed making this composition and look forward to the second part of the challenge!

Stay tuned for Part 2:

Bitchin’ Chicken Cooking Challenge!