Frying Chicken, soft?

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giggler

Sous Chef
Joined
Dec 4, 2007
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713
Location
Austin, TX.
I know this may be odd..but is there a method to fry chicken, not crispy?

My dearest had a bad year, Dentally..

We like KFC original.. but I think I could do better at home..

Is there an "oven fried" method?

or should I get a "Chicken Fryer" pan with a lid, and try to sort of Steam/Fry?

soft, but flavorful skin, is the key, I guess?

Thanks, Eric. Austin Tx.
 
I know KFC does it with their original recipe because they pressure-fry their chicken, but most people don't have that capability, or don't want to try it in their pressure cooker. (I don't blame them!)

Frying is a process of boiling off the water and replacing it with oil until the oil can be drained off... leaving a moisture-free... whatever. So, if you don't what something to be crispy, don't fry it. Bake it.
 
Frying is a process of boiling off the water and replacing it with oil
I disagree with this. The water is not being replaced by oil if you fry the right way.

giggler, I would think if you incorporate a lid (carefully) into your frying technique then that would trap some steam which would make the skin soft. I am not sure the best way to go about doing that from a safety standpoint though.
 
Wikipedia:
If performed properly, deep-frying does not make food excessively greasy, because the moisture in the food repels the oil. The hot oil heats the water within the food, steaming it from the inside out; oil cannot go against the direction of this powerful flow because (due to its high temperature) the water vapor pushes the bubbles toward the surface.[1] As long as the oil is hot enough and the food is not immersed in the oil for too long, oil penetration will be confined to the outer surface. However, if the food is cooked in the oil for too long, much of the water will be lost and the oil will begin to penetrate the food. The correct frying temperature depends on the thickness and type of food, but in most cases it lies between 175 and 190 °C (345–375 °F).
 
That is exactly what I was saying. Oil does not replace the water unless you do not fry correctly.
 
Fry your chicken in a pan/pot with the lid on and the skin will be soft. Or, after frying, put the cooked chicken into a tightly covered container and let it rest for a couple of minutes. These fried chicken "dont's" will give you soft chicken crust.
 
Steamed breading will probably fall off.

I'd suggest experimenting with coatings that are easier to chew. Or perhaps only using flour.

If you brine the chicken it will be more tender to the tooth, as well.
 
I don't fry chicken except when I make chicken nuggets and they are not crispy. I cut up the chicken breasts, add about 1 cup Bisquick and seasonings then sprinkle with water and stir until all the pieces are coated. The Bisquick is like a thick paste and doesn't completely cover each piece but they come out nice. The coating is kind of like a savory funnel cake when fried. I don't know if that will apply to regular chicken pieces or not. If he's having dental issues, the nuggets may be a good way to go since he won't have to deal with bones.
 
marinating your chicken in buttermilk for a few hours makes it very tender and tasty.....I would also bake it lightly so it wouldn't get too crispy.
 
The method for "frying chicken, taught me by my wife some thirty years back should do the trick for you. The skin is soft, with a very light crunch to give it character. Dry the chicken pieces with paper towels. Dip in egg-wash, then dredge in flour. Knock off excess flour by gently bumping the chicken against your hand, over the vessel containing the flour. Fry in three inches or so of 170' oil until just lightly browned. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet and place in a 3 75' oven for 40 minutes. The chcken crunch is very soft, and the chicken is juicy enough to squirt you when you bite into it. Salt after frying and before placing in the oven. You can add seasonings to the flour without changing the chicken skin texture. I and several others around here have played with seasoning combinations and have developed some pretty tasty recipes. If you want them, just ask and everyone is more than willing to share.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North
 
Andy and GB already said it...put a lid on while cooking and it will come out softer/steamed. The breading does not fall off. Soak in buttermilk overnight, do your usual breading, and cook. You could probably leave the lid off the first side, turn over, and cover for the second side...or cover for both, doesn't really matter. You may find the chicken gets done a little sooner so check for doneness before you normally would.
 
Once upon a time, many moons ago (Ok, it was 1965) we were traveling across the southern route from CA to FL (my dad was about to be shipped to Germany) and in some middle of nowhere place in the boonies, on a rainy day (if you've never lived in the south or the tropics, you have no idea), in a swampy nowhere, we stopped somewhere with a little sign that said "Kentucky Fried Chicken". Two little old ladies ran the place and they just bragged all over about the Colonel's special spices and how they use the pressure cooker to do it. Before KFC became a big, nation-wide chain, Mom was already an experienced pressure cooker cook and found a recipe (obviously not the Colonel's) and used to make delicious pressure-cooker-fried chicken which is probably exactly what you want. I've not used a pressure cooker that much, but she continues to. I don't remember it being that difficult (yes, when I was a teenager I used it often)(remember, this was BMO, that is to say, Before Microwave Ovens, and if you needed a quick meal, pressure cooking was THE way to go). If you're interested, and have a pressure cooker, I'll see if I can get Mom to did up her recipe.
 
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