Fried Chicken Newbie

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JustJoel

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I’ve never made fried chicken. Honestly! Oh, I’ve made oven fried chicken, many times, and it’s very good! But sometimes, you just want the crispy, juicy, heartstopping oil-fried stuff.

I bought an entry level fryer, and looked at about 2 dozen recipes on the web. I chose one that had spices I like, and buttermilk, and I’m heating the oil now. But I’d like to hear from the community! What’s the best fried chicken recipe you have?
 
For us, hands down, its Chicken Katsu!!
We look at it as Japanese Fried Chicken, that or maybe
Karaage Chicken, Korean Fried Chicken, Garlic Mochiko Chicken.
I do SO love chicken katsu! Pork too! And Kara-age! And Tatsuta-age! But I’ve been craving good ol’ southern fried chicken, with gravy, or ranch dressing, some coleslaw and potatoes with it! And I’m hen, I won’t want it again for a year!
 
Honestly I don't. I threw away my deep fryer a long time ago. However, :) I kept my cast iron chicken fry pan and use it. It's like a regular CI fry pan only it has deeper sides. and the cover to a dutch oven fits on it too.

My recipe, if you will:

Flour
Heavy salt and pepper
Cayenne pepper, more than you think you need
Dried thyme leaves, powdered between your fingers
Buttermilk
Peanut oil for frying

Pour buttermilk into a casserole or deep dish. Salt the chicken, put in bowl. Refrigerate at least one hour, turn chicken over once.

Heat oil to 365/370 F

Remove chix one piece at a time and pat dry. Dredge in seasoned flour. For a thicker crust, just drip dry the chix a little and don't shake off as much flour after dredging. Set the chix pieces on a rack while the oil continues to heat. Fry without crowding the chicken pieces. Usually takes about 7-8-9 minutes until done.

With my CI pan, I have to turn the chix pieces over while frying.
 
Learning from failure!

Okay, here’s what I learned from my first experience with deep-frying chicken.

1. It cooks a lot more quickly than the recipes suggest!
2. Do NOT put your chicken into the frying basket and then add to the fryer. Put the fryer basket in the fryer, then add the chicken slowly.

I haven't tasted the chicken yet; I’m keeping warm in the oven. I’ll let you know (because I know you care!
 
Wiska is on the mark with those instructions Joel.

I have excellent results with the skillet oil deep enough to measure about half way up the chicken pieces. I don't deep fry anything for lots of reasons, not the least of which it's a big mess, takes lots of oil, and more trouble than it's worth in my opinion.
Now I want some fried chicken!!
 
I prefer to pan fry my chicken in my old Griswold cast iron pan. I've done it in a deep fryer, but I like it pan fried better. Yes, make the oil deep enough to cover halfway up the chicken pieces, and flip the chicken halfway through the cook.

I don't use buttermilk. I use flour, egg wash, flour.

I agree that you need to season more than you think you need to. I don't know why.

Yes, do not put the chicken in the basket first, if you deep fry, unless you want it to fuse to the basket.

I also prefer peanut oil.

I don't know what chicken Katsu is.

I am on a plane right now, but when I get home for long enough, I'll load some frying photos -- if it still matters when I am home long enough.

CD
 
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I prefer to pan fry my chicken in my old Griswold cast iron pan. I've done it in a deep fryer, but I like it pan fried better. Yes, make the oil deep enough to cover halfway up the chicken pieces, and flip the chicken halfway through the cook.

I don't use buttermilk. I use flour, egg wash, flour.

I agree that you need to season more than you think you need to. I don't know why.

Yes, do not put the chicken in the basket first, if you deep fry, unless you want it to fuse to the basket.

I also prefer peanut oil.

I don't know what chicken Katsu is.

I am on a plane right now, but when I get home for long enough, I'll load some frying photos -- if it still matters when I am home long enough.

CD


Here's a quick recipe for you CD:
https://mykitcheninthemiddleofthedesert.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/plate-lunch-special-chicken-katsu/

Some of the best fried chicken in my book anyways
 
Here in the Bible Belt, we make it very simple.
Flour with a bit of salt, pepper, paprika and garlic.
Place your chicken in the flour mix, making sure the flour is all over the chicken,
and dunk your chicken directly in your fry daddy for about 6 to 8 minutes.
I found out the longer you leave your chicken in the flour bowl (like 15 minutes), the wetter the flour around the chicken becomes, which become a thicker crust during cooking. I suppose the buttermilk would have the same effect and create a thicker crust.
 
Mine is a bit different yet. I just dip in buttermilk (approximation made with regular milk and vinegar or lemon juice), then dredge in well seasoned flour (last week I used kosher salt, pepper, and dried thyme, and more than you would think you'd need). After dredging, I put it on a rack for at least 10-15 minutes until the coating gets a bit sticky. While chicken is resting I heat the oil in the pan at about medium high (about 375° F). Only then do I put it in the fry pan with enough oil to go half way up the pieces when all are in the pan - don't crowd. I get a thin, crispy coating and tender, juicy meat.

I usually only fry legs, wings, or thighs. If I do fry breast I generally debone it and cut it into strips so it cooks more evenly.

When I do half breasts I usually do split breasts skin on and bone in, and I season and bake them. I seem to get better results roasting breast halves than I do frying them - they are so juicy and tender that way and for me it seems to be easier to cook them through without over cooking.
 
I also shallow-fry in a cast iron skillet. Here's the southern fried chicken my Virginia-born mother taught me.

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Peanut oil, enough to come halfway up the side of the pan

Combine flour and seasonings and dredge chicken pieces in the mixture. Reserve remaining seasoned flour. Heat oil in skillet till a drop of water sizzles.

Add chicken pieces and fry till deep golden brown. Turn and fry till second side is done. Remove from skillet; cover and keep warm.

Discard all but 3 tablespoons of oil from skillet. Add 3 tablespoons reserved flour to oil and whisk till flour is lightly browned. Whisk in 1-1/2 cups milk (or half milk and half chicken broth). Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer till thickened. Serve chicken with gravy over cooked rice.
 
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I do SO love chicken katsu! Pork too! And Kara-age! And Tatsuta-age! But I’ve been craving good ol’ southern fried chicken, with gravy, or ranch dressing, some coleslaw and potatoes with it! And I’m hen, I won’t want it again for a year!
What do you do with the ranch dressing?
 
Deep fry. Just enough to barely cover.
Season the chicken well.
Season the four well.
Drop at 375*
Maintain 340*-350*
Flip it around a time or two until done.
Drain on wire rack.
Save the buttermilk for the biscuits.
Serve with rice, hot biscuits, and chicken gravy made with chicken stock.
Peanut oil is good. Corn oil Ok. Crisco is best.

Have Fun!
 
A question and some thoughts.

What is an entry level fryer?

My Fry-Daddy is tiny. You can only do a piece or two at time. If you try 1 piece too many, it can't handle it.

Unless you have a good deep fryer with a powerful heating element that can mantain temps (the effect you found out about buly putting a basket of cold chicken in at once), I would go with shallow frying on a cast iron skillet.

Another tip is that you should do the breasts separately from the legs, thighs, and wings. The latter can be done together, but the breasts take much longer than the dark meat.

If you must cook everything together, score across the middle of the chicken breasts like you would an uneven piece of fish, so they all cook through at the same time.

Whiska's recipe is spot on, although I like to marinate in paprika and s&p seasoned buttermilk for upwards of 12 hours, to let the enzymes do their work.

I need to make fried chicken soon.
 
Btw, I just happened to taste Ranch dressing on fried chicken fingers. (the fingers served at lunch at work)

And I added a splash of hot sauce.

Freakin delicous! :yum:
 
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