This is more technique than a strict recipe. I don't have a name for it. But the aroma, flavors and texture have no equal. I've not found this made anywhere else by anyone other than my Gramma, and her eldest daughter. Nothing smells or tastes just like it. I first became acquainted with this in the early 1960's.

My Gramma and my eldest Aunt made this for many years. It's rote memory for me now, as it's been a beloved meal for decades.

Cut up a young, frying chicken. These were not usually over 2 pounds.

This needs a well seasoned, high sided iron skillet with it's own drip-baste lid (with the little tips facing downward inside the lid).

Begin the skillet warming on low with a stick of dairy butter melting in it. The butter must not burn or brown at this time. It will eventually brown some as the chicken cooks.

Coat the chicken pieces lightly in non-seasoned all purpose flour. Don't coat heavily. Lay each coated piece in the melted butter and simmer slowly, don't put on the lid yet. Don't move the chicken for about 10 minutes. Allow the flour coating to brown some, then gently turn them over with tongs to begin browning on the raw side. Once an area has browned, turn to lightly brown all the remaining raw places.

Be sure to keep the temp low to medium low for now. This is not meant to cook as hot as you'd ordinarily fry chicken. The butter must not to burn or turn dark brown.

Once all sides of each piece have been lightly browned, double check that none have raw spots. Since these are smaller pieces of chicken than usual, they cook quicker than big pieces.

Once the pieces have been browned in butter, make some space between them and sprinkle in a couple of teaspoons of flour. Sprinkle that over any floating butter oils and chicken broth. Gently work it in with a fork or spoon until dissolved. Some chickens will cook out very little broth. Other times, the chicken will cook out more juices. Either way, add just enough flour to the juices and oils to make a thin roux that will cook slowly at low heat.

Once the excess juices and oils have had a little extra flour added, add a little water around the chicken pieces. Try not to put water directly on the chicken pieces. Add only enough water to come roughly to 1/2 inch deep. Gently work this light roux into a thin gravy. It's ok if some spots haven't formed a gravy yet, they will eventually.

Shake some salt over all the chicken and place on the drip-lid. Ground poultry seasoning could also be dusted very lightly over the chicken before placing on the lid.

The water and drip-basting from the lid will help the browned crusts on the chicken and butter make a type of gravy that the chicken will now steam-simmer in.

As it simmers on low, the coating on the chicken will soften. This entree is not intended to be crispy fried chicken. This will become a rich, brothy, chicken and gravy dish that's bursting with chicken flavor. It is a type of smothered chicken. Some folks might call this a type of fricassee. All I know is it's dangerously delicious.

Warm the oven to 275°f, to no more than 300°f.

The drip lid is designed to baste, that's what it will do for the chicken while it's on the stovetop and in the oven. The delicious aroma is so tempting. It's the only chicken dish I know that smells just exactly like this does.

Remove the lid and gently turn the chicken pieces over with tongs, (don't puncture the chicken), turn pieces after about 15 minutes so the thin gravy gets on both sides of the pieces. Try to be gentle, as the chicken is on the way to becoming very tender.

Put the lid back on and allow it to simmer on low for about 15 minutes more on the stovetop.

Now turn the burner off and place the covered skillet in the oven without taking the lid off. The steam needs to be trapped under the lid before baking. This bakes for about 40 to 50 minutes (for large chicken pieces), or it could overcook. Once the chicken is removed from the oven, do not remove the lid for at least 15 to 20 minutes.

On odd occasions my aunt would need to bake this on low for about an hour. But only if the chicken browned for less time per side than the 10 to 15 minutes per side, or if the pieces were large, so as not to overcook it.

Mashed potatoes could be made while it's in the oven. Or boil up a pot of Skinner brand Dumpling Noodles, (IF you can still locate them!). This tastes luscious ladled over that particular brand of noodles.

Make a pan of biscuits, and have butter on hand to go with them. Besides, you'll want hot biscuits to sop up that buttery chicken gravy.

Remember, this needs gentle, low temp cooking. It is essential that the iron skillet has the drip baste lid and fits well. Anything else won't work the same, and won't cook the same, nor have the same flavors and texture.

This recipe is very old school, very tender chicken, and my favorite chicken dish of all time. Nothing else smells or tastes just like this.

I do not know with certainty, but based on what I remember being told back then, this is one of those old recipes Gramma learned to cook when she was a girl in the mid 1800's.

When Gramma wasn't feeling well, this was the chicken she wanted. Same for me. It goes beyond being comfort food.