Chicken Maryland

James Beard's Fowl and Game Bird Cookery, 1979

3 hours — 4 Servings

Ingredients

2		broilers, 2 pounds each (split)
		lemon juice
2		eggs (beaten)
		salt and ground pepper
1	cup	milk
1⁄2	pound	bacon (cut up)
2	cup	dried bread crumbs
2	tablespoon	flour
2	cup	half-and-half

Instructions

Rub the chickens well with lemon juice and place in a batter made of beaten eggs, a little salt and pepper, and the milk. Turn to coat all sides and let stand for 2 hours.

Cook the bacon in a skillet till crisp. Remove the bacon. Dip the soaked chicken pieces in the finely rolled breadcrumbs and brown quickly in the hot bacon fat, turning to color evenly. Reduce the heat and cook till tender, about 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the chicken from the pan and pour off all the fat except 2 tablespoons. Add the flour, blend with the fat, and cook for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the half-and-half and stir till thickened and smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The traditional way to serve this dish is to arrange the chicken in a bed of the cream sauce and garnish with strips of bacon and corn fritters.