Peanut Chicken

If there is one thing about Virginia, we are known for our home grown Peanuts.  Suffolk's most celebrated and treasured crop is the peanut and the best time to recognize and honor this favorite crop is during Suffolk's Peanut Fest.  Held in October to celebrate the peanut harvest, this festival has been celebrated for fifty plus years and, today is host to as many as 200,000 visitors throughout the four day event.  Guests travel from all over Tidewater to be a part of the fun filled affair.  Children can participate in Peanut Butter sculpturing contest or ride many of the wonderful attractions.  You are able to stroll down main street and sample many peanut confections.

Who knows, you may see Mr. Peanut, the icon of Planters Peanuts.  Amedeo Obici, an Italian immigrant and an enterprising, young man from Pennsylvania, moved his peanut business down to Suffolk, Virginia, to form Planters Nut and Chocolate Company.  Soon, his peanuts were the favorite of nut lovers everywhere and his business was booming.  When his wife, Louise died, he created a trust fund to have a memorial built in her honor.  Today, husband and wife are entombed in the gardens of Suffolk's Louise Obici Memorial Hospital.

While Suffolk is famous for its peanuts, it can also claim to be Virginia's largest City with 430 square miles of woods, lakes, rivers and farmland. 

Suffolk is also home to Tommy Newsom, the former leader of the Tonight Show Orchestra with Johnny Carson and local artist Chip Wilkinson.

Peanut Chicken
Toast to Tidewater page 91

2 eggs, beaten
1/2 Cup milk
1 Cup flour
2 Cups finely chopped salted peanuts without the skins
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
8 Skinless boneless chicken breasts, approximately 1/2 inch thick
Peanut oil

• Combine eggs and milk in pie pan or shallow dish; mix well.
• Combine flour, crushed peanuts, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl, mix well.
• Place chicken in egg mixture, then dredge in flour mixture.
• Pour 1/2 inch of peanut oil in skillet; heat over medium high.
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees
• Place chicken in peanut oil; cook approximately two minutes per side or until tender and golden brown.
• Remove chicken from oil; place on a paper towel-linted baking sheet.
• Keep chicken warm in preheated 250 degree oven until ready to serve

Serves 8
Preparation Time 25 minutes
One thing to add, try to cook chicken so that it will be ready to be served immediately, if you need to keep it warm in the oven, do not do it for a long period as the chicken will dry out.  I prepared my side dishes ahead and served the chicken as soon as it was cooked.