Chicken Fried Chicken with Cream Gravy

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• cooking oil or melted Crisco
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Beat together the egg and milk and set aside. Mix together the salt, black pepper, paprika and white pepper and sprinkle on both sides of chicken breasts.

Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then dip each piece in the egg/milk mixture, then back in the flour. (You're going to get your hands messy here, so take your rings off.) Set chicken pieces aside on a piece of waxed paper.

Heat the cooking oil in a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Oil should be about a half-inch deep in the pan. Check the temperature with a drop of water; if it pops and spits back at you, it's ready.

With a long-handled fork, carefully place each chicken breast into the hot oil. Protect yourself (and your kitchen) from the popping grease that results. Fry chicken breasts on both sides, turning once, until golden brown. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 to 18 minutes until chicken pieces are done through. Drain on paper towels.

Cream Gravy

After the chicken is removed from the pan, pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of oil, keeping as many as possible of the browned bits in the pan. Heat the oil over medium heat until hot.

Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour (use the left-over flour from the chicken fried chicken recipe (waste not -- want not) in the hot oil. Stir with a wooden spoon, quickly, to brown the flour.

Gradually stir in 3/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup water, mixed together, stirring constantly with the wooden spoon and mashing out any lumps. Lower heat, and gravy will begin to thicken. Continue cooking and stirring a few minutes until gravy reaches desired consistency. Check seasonings and add more salt and pepper according to your taste. Makes 4 servings.

Prep time: 20 Min; Cook time: 20 Min; Total time: 50 Min