Kid Pleasin' Fried Chicken and Quince Jelly over Macaroni and Cheese and Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

Chicken:

• 1 liter canola oil
• 3 to 6 whole eggs, as needed
• 1 to 2 cups half-and-half, as needed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, or as needed
• 1/2 cup huckleberry seasoning
• 2 cups panko bread crumbs, or as needed
• 8 skin-on chicken breasts
• 1/4 cup chopped chives, for garnish

Macaroni and cheese:

• 16-ounce package elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped white onion
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar
• Salt
• White pepper
• 3 tablespoons quince jelly

Mashed potatoes:

• 4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup milk
• Salt
• White pepper

Directions

Bring 2 pots of water to aboil, 1 each for the pasta and potatoes.

For the Chicken:

Heat oil in a deep-fat fryer, then set up a breading station. Whisk together 3 eggs and a cup of the half-and-half for the egg wash. (Begin with this amount and whisk more together if needed.) Combine flour and huckleberry seasoning. Set up a bowl, each of: flour mixture, egg wash, and bread crumbs. Evenly coat chicken with flour (not too much or bread crumbs won't stick). Dip floured chicken into egg wash, then into bread crumbs. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a deep-fat fryer, lightly fry chicken until golden brown. Finish in the oven until completely cooked, at least 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest.

For the Macaroni and Cheese:

While the chicken is cooking, boil the pasta until al dente and drain well so that you don't have excess cooking water which will dilute the flavor. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the onion and cook until translucent. Gradually add the flour to make a roux. Cook roux 5 minutes, until light golden in color. Incorporate enough of the chicken broth a little at a time to form a smooth sauce. Simmer for at least 10 minutes to allow the flour to cook out. Add the heavy cream and Cheddar and then season with salt and white pepper. Then fold in as much pasta as you need to acquire the right consistency for macaroni and cheese. Cover and set aside in a warm place.

For the Mashed Potatoes:

Boil the potatoes until tender and drain well. Then mash the potatoes and stir in cubed butter. Whip milk, salt and pepper into the potatoes with a beater.

To Plate:

Form a bed of mashed potatoes make a well in the center. Spoon enough macaroni and cheese into the well until so that it just begins to breach the edges of the well. Spoon some of the quince jelly in the center of the mound of macaroni and cheese. Place a chicken breast on top of the macaroni and cheese, and garnish with fresh chopped chives.