The Melbourne diner makes some of the city’s best fried chicken. Now you can recreate it for your game-day event.
It’s a huge month for footy fans – there’s the AFL and NRL finals, and, of course, the first-ever NFL game played in Australia. And while we don’t yet know who will be at the MCG on Grand Final day, we will, however, see the San Francisco 49ers go head-to-head against the Los Angeles Rams at the ‘G on September 11.
To help us get into the all-American spirit, who better than the owners of Melbourne’s JollyGood, Raphael Exton-Pery and Meg McAulay? If you’ve been lucky enough to visit the diner and bar in Collingwood, then you know the menu is a total touchdown – the Goodburger, the French dip sandwich, the fried chicken sandwich – we could go on (and you’d better leave room for the key lime pie).
If you’re gearing up to host game day (for any of the footy codes), then you’re in luck because Raphael and Meg have kindly shared their fried chicken recipe with us. This means you’re about to serve up tenders or fried chicken sangas and absolutely blow your mates away.
Raphael (ex-Gimlet) has been a chef – locally and internationally – for more than 20 years, and Meg has a background in marketing and branding. Talk about a power duo. “We realised pretty early on that our skills complemented each other really well,” Meg says. “Raphael brings the food and hospitality experience, while I look after the brand and marketing, so partnering on JollyGood made a lot of sense.”
JollyGood has come a long way since starting as a sandwich pop-up during Covid. “What began as something fun to do while restaurants were closed developed a following and eventually grew into what JollyGood is today – our take on an American diner and bar with a very Melbourne approach to food, drinks and hospitality,” Meg says.
If you’re yet to experience the magic of JollyGood, you can expect warm hospitality, nostalgia and delicious food. “The food is familiar – burgers, fried chicken, steak frites, sandwiches and pie. But there's a lot of thought, technique and quality ingredients behind it. We want to make food that feels approachable and fun without cutting corners,” Meg says.
The New Orleans-style fried chicken is a dish that represents JollyGood, says Meg, and through the evolution of the business, it’s become a menu icon. “The idea was to take something that's classic, comforting and unpretentious, and apply the same care and technique you would in a fine dining kitchen,” Meg says. “We wanted really juicy chicken with a properly seasoned, crunchy coating, while still keeping it recognisable as great American-style fried chicken.” It’s safe to say it ticks all those boxes.
We’re serving JollyGood’s fried chicken alongside an ice-cold glass of Kim Crawford’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. It’s packed with passionfruit, melon and grapefruit, and the bright citrus and racy acidity will cut right through the golden, crispy-skinned chicken.
If you prefer rosé, fizz or a glass of red, then there is a slew of wines at the bottom of this article, and they’re all less than $25 for My Dan’s members (including some for under $15). Yep, we’ve got your game-day hosting duties covered.
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Ingredients: brine
1 litre cold water 10g salt
Ingredients: chicken
1kg chicken thighs Buttermilk, enough to fully coat the chicken Canola oil for frying Salt, to finish
Ingredients: chicken flour mix
600g plain flour 300g corn starch 60g onion powder 60g garlic powder 60g paprika 10g cayenne pepper Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
To make the brine, whisk the salt into the water until completely dissolved Add the chicken thighs, making sure they are submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour Remove chicken from the brine, rinse under cold water and pat thoroughly dry with paper towel To make the chicken flour mix, place all ingredients in a large tray and combine thoroughly To coat the chicken, pour the buttermilk into a bowl and place the chicken thighs in it to coat well Transfer the chicken directly into the flour mix. Press and work the flour firmly around each piece until you have a rough, clumpy coating Fry the chicken twice. For the first round, if you’re using a deep fryer, heat it to 160°C, carefully add the chicken and fry for 4 minutes. For those who don't have a deep fryer, shallow-fry the chicken in a frying pan. You will need to use enough canola oil to fully submerge the chicken thighs Lift the chicken from the fryer or pan and allow it to rest and drain briefly For the second fry, return the chicken to the fryer (at 160°C) or to the pan and fry for another 2 minutes Remove and probe the thickest part of the chicken. The internal temperature should reach at least 72°C Place chicken on paper towel to drain and cool slightly, then season with salt You can serve your fried chicken as tenders, with pickles and ranch on the side, or you can pop the chicken in a bun with mayonnaise and lettuce and serve as a burger
JollyGood’s top tips
Keep a watch on that oil temperature, says Meg. “You want it hot enough that the chicken goes crispy without absorbing too much oil.” Meg says 160°C is the magic number. And don’t forget the salt. “Always season the chicken with salt as soon as it comes out – while it’s still hot.”
