This article was co-authored by Dorrenda Smith. Dorrenda “Renny” Smith is a Personal Chef and the Co-Founder & CEO of The Crain Experience. With almost 15 years of experience in the food industry, she specializes in creating soul food with a healthier spin. Chef Renny and her partner provide event catering, event planning, and restaurant and food truck consultations.
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Fried chicken is popular because it's tasty and it can be eaten both freshly cooked or cold as a picnic food or cold-plate snack. Fried chicken is so popular that it's often part of the menu of many fast food and restaurant chains and indeed, of all meats, it is only chicken that tends to be fried on a regular basis. Properly done, fried chicken is totally delectable, which explains why it's a taste few are willing to give up!
Making fried chicken at home has a number of benefits. You control the quality of the ingredients, meaning that you can use the freshest possible and you can opt for organic chicken if you wish. Also, you can vary the ingredients to taste. And it's highly likely that everyone will want to eat the chicken at the family table, so it's a sure-fire winner for mealtime. This article provides several variations of fried chicken that you can try.
Ingredients
- 1 chicken, about 1.5kg (3lb 3 oz), jointed into 8 pieces, boned and skinned
- 1 small white loaf of bread with crusts removed; 2 day old bread is best
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh herbs
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper, freshly milled
- Cayenne pepper, pinch
- 150ml (5 fl oz) buttermilk
- 4 back bacon rashers
- 150g (5 1/2 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- 1 egg
- 3 cups milk
- 1 cup flour
- 3 cup fine breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/2 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 4 tsp black pepper
- 6-8 cups Crisco cooking oil
- 2 fryer, or young frying chicken, cut in pieces
- (optional) Add a teaspoon/ two of red chili powder for a spicy flavor
- 1 tsp of crushed onions
- Spring chicken
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cayenne, pinch
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley, very finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (optional)
- Fresh white breadcrumbs
- Lemon quarters for garnish
- 115g (4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 lemon, juice and grated zest of
- 2 tbsp tarragon, chopped
- 4 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts
- 1 large egg
- 115g ( 4 oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
- Sunflower oil, for deep-frying
Steps
Fried Chicken Escalopes
This is a shallow fry method of preparing the chicken.
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1Prepare the escalopes. Remove the skin and tendons from the chicken. Put the chicken fillets between two sheets of plastic food wrap or parchment paper and pound with a rolling pin. The aim is to flatten them evenly to about 1 centimeter (0.4 in) (1/2") in depth. The flattened pieces are now known as escalopes.[1]
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2Dice the bread. Add the diced pieces to the food processor and process into breadcrumbs. Pour them into a shallow, wide bowl or dish.Advertisement
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3Season the escalopes with salt and pepper to taste. Brush each escalope with mustard and sprinkle over the chopped fresh herbs.
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4Dip each escalope into the beaten egg. Be sure to coat both sides evenly.[2]
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1Dip and drag through the breadcrumbs. Seek to coat as thoroughly as possible.
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2Heat the oil in the pan. Add about 1 centimeter (0.4 in) (1/2") of oil to the pan.
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3Add the coated escalopes. Fry in the shallow oil for about 4–5 minutes. They are done when they are brown.[3]
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4Remove from the heat. Drain on paper.
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5Serve. If you are cooking one at a time, keep the fried ones warm in the oven until serving time.[4]
Southern Fried Chicken
This is a shallow fry method of preparing the chicken.
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1Slice each breast and thigh diagonally to make 4 pieces.
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2Combine the mustard with the salt, pepper and cayenne. Brush the mixture over the chicken pieces.
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3Place the chicken pieces into a bowl filled with the buttermilk. Turn around gently to coat in buttermilk.
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4Prepare the bacon. Pour in the oil to a depth of 1 centimeter (0.39 in) (1/2") and heat it. Cook the bacon until crisp. Lift the bacon out and leave to cool. Once it has cooled enough to handle, cut into small pieces.
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5Mix the pieces of chopped bacon in with the breadcrumbs. Coat the buttermilk covered chicken with the bacon and breadcrumb mixture.
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6Add more oil to the same pan you used for the bacon. Again, the depth of oil should be 1 centimeter (0.39 in) (1/2"). Heat gently.
- It is important that the cooking oil temperature is not too hot because this can cause the outside to crisp before the inside is cooked. If you notice that the oil starts to smoke, it's too hot. Add a little more oil and reduce the temperature immediately.
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7Add the chicken pieces. Fry for about 10 minutes. Turn once during the frying time. The amount of time needed for cooking will depend on the thickness of the pieces; a golden brown color is a good indication that the chicken is cooked.
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8Remove from the pan and serve. Sprinkle with salt.
- Keep fried pieces warm in the oven until all are completed before serving.
Original Fried Chicken
This is a deep-fried method of preparing the chicken.
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1Prepare the batter by placing eggs and milk into one bowl.
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2Combine the flour, breadcrumbs and seasonings into another bowl.
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3Dip each chicken piece, first, into the flour, then the batter, and again into the flour. Place the coated pieces on a plate.
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4Add oil to a large, deep fryer. The fryer should be suitable for frying chicken. Heat on the stove at a medium setting. Watch to see that it does not get too hot and "spit". To test to see if the oil is hot, put your hands under the water faucet then flick the water from your fingers over the oil. If it sizzles, you know the oil is hot enough to add the chicken to fry.
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5Remove from pan after the chicken is a golden brown color.
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6Place on paper towels, on the counter top.
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7Serve. Serve with coleslaw, salad or steamed vegetables of choice.
- If you're going on a picnic, allow the fried chicken to cool down and pack in its own container, along with other food items ready for the outing.
Fried Spring Chicken
This is a deep fry method of preparing the chicken.
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1Assemble the items and tools needed to complete the recipe.
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2Cut the spring chicken into 6 pieces, namely 2 wings, 2 legs and 2 pieces of the breast.
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3Mix the 2 tablespoons of oil with the lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste, and a little cayenne.
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4Add the finely chopped garlic clove, parsley and if using, the ground ginger.
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5Arrange the chicken pieces in a bowl or tray for marinating. Pour the marinade mixture over the chicken pieces. Leave for 30 minutes.
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6Drain the chicken pieces.
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7Coat with breadcrumbs.
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8Heat deep frying oil to 180ºC/350ºF.
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9Add each piece to the deep frying oil. Cook for 13-15 minutes or until golden.
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10Remove. Drain on paper towels.
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11Sprinkle with a little more salt. Serve with the lemon quarters.
Deep Fried Chicken
This is a deep fry method of preparing the chicken.
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1Assemble the items and tools needed to complete the recipe.
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2Add the butter, lemon zest and tarragon into a bowl. Cream together.
- Add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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3Place the butter on a piece of foil. Shape it into a rectangular piece. Wrap this rectangular block and place in the freezer. Remove only when it has set solid.
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4Flatten the chicken breast into an escalope (see method above under "Fried chicken escalopes").
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5Remove the frozen butter. Cut it into four even pieces.
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6Place each piece of butter inside an escalope, completely enveloping it. Roll each fillet tightly over the butter.
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7Keep the butter-filled chicken fillet intact by piercing each end with a toothpick.
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8Crack the egg and beat it lightly. Dip the chicken pieces into the egg to coat evenly.
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9Roll the egg-covered chicken pieces in the breadcrumbs. Be sure it is evenly covering the chicken; you may need to press them into place.
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10Refrigerate the breadcrumb covered chicken fillets. The coating must set before removing them.
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11Heat the oil in the deep-frying pan. It should reach a temperature of 190ºC/375ºF. Do not use it if it is hotter than this or it will cook the outside of the chicken but not the meat.
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12Add the chicken pieces in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for about 10 minutes. They can be removed when they are golden brown.
- Keep cooked pieces warm in the oven.
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13Drain on kitchen paper.
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14Serve. Remember to remove the cocktail sticks before serving. When cut open, the buttery insides should melt out deliciously.
Keeping Fried Chicken Warm
In all of the suggested fried chicken variants above, it is recommended that you only fry a small amount at a time, to ensure the best consistency and adequate cooking. As such, this will usually mean that you have to do the frying in batches and you'll need to keep some of the fried pieces warm in the interim. Here is one method guaranteed to maintain the freshness:
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1Put a little water in an oven dish, wad up some tin foil into balls.
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2Line over the top of the tin foil balls with a large piece of tin foil big enough to wrap all the fried chicken in.
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3Cover all with a lid and place in the oven on 150-200ºF/65-95ºC. Now you have made a homemade steamer pan.
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4Keep chicken in the oven until it is ready to eat. It will come out really tender.
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat are some tips for making crispy deep-fried chicken?
Dorrenda SmithDorrenda “Renny” Smith is a Personal Chef and the Co-Founder & CEO of The Crain Experience. With almost 15 years of experience in the food industry, she specializes in creating soul food with a healthier spin. Chef Renny and her partner provide event catering, event planning, and restaurant and food truck consultations.
Personal ChefNumber one, make sure the grease is hot. Then just cook it a little bit longer and don't overcrowd the pan. -
QuestionWhat kind of cream did you use?
Community AnswerThere is no cream in these recipes - just milk/buttermilk. -
QuestionWhat type of flour do I use to make fried chicken?
QamarTop AnswererIt's best to use self-rising flour.
Warnings
- Make sure the chicken is not pink; raw or improperly cooked chicken can harbor diseases like salmonella and can also cause food poisoning. Make sure it is cooked till white.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Treat hot oil with the utmost care. Handle carefully and keep children and pets well away while frying. Keep your face away from the oil, as oil can pop up unexpectedly and it burns if it comes into contact with skin and eyes.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Watch the oil so it does not get too hot; too hot of an oil risks burning food or cooks only the outside.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- If you fry in batches in a shallow pan, renew the oil between each batch to remove loose breadcrumbs or they'll burn.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- When serving the chicken, avoid getting burned by using baking gloves.⧼thumbs_response⧽
- Use tongs to put the batter chicken into and remove from the frying pan.⧼thumbs_response⧽
Things You'll Need
- Bowls for mixing and coating
- Plates for breadcrumbs
- Tongs
- Kitchen paper
- Frying item (pan or deep frying pot)
- Parchment paper or plastic wrap
- Rolling pin or similar for escalopes
- Items for steaming in oven if keeping fried chicken warm
- Napkins
References
About This Article
To make fried chicken, start by mixing flour, breadcrumbs, and your favorite seasonings in a large bowl. Then, in a separate bowl, combine eggs and milk. Next, dip the chicken into the egg mixture and then coat it with the flour mixture. Finally, cook the coated chicken in a deep fryer with hot oil until it's golden brown. If you want to learn how to make different varieties of fried chicken, such as Southern-style or escalopes, keep reading!
