My Juicy Fried Chicken

This fried chicken is crispy on the outside, with a flavorful crust that contrasts and complements is contains. The meat is perfectly seasoned, and cooked to the point of tenderness, but still moist. If all of this seems daunting, don’t worry. You don’t need to a ranked chef to make a perfect restaurant quality fried chicken.

There is a reason fried chicken is one of America’s chief export around the world, behind only to hamburgers for global renown. It is one of the greatest pleasures food has to offer. We are at he point where the countries are doing a wonderful spins on fried chicken; as example Korean fried chicken. Fried chicken is a dish that is unique and customizable enough to come out delicious, while still delicious being incredible affordable for most Americans. And even better you can make quality restaurant fried chicken at home.

That being said, making fried chicken at home come with challenges. Thankfully, that is why Eating Delicious Foods is here, with guidance on how to achieve it. So, homemade fried chicken comes down to two most important things: equipment and time. The best way to make restaurant quality-quality fried chicken in your the comfort of your home, is using the right tools and taking your time.

It is important not to rush the process, because time is the main ingredients. A home deep fryer won’t comes out as evenly as professional fryer equipment, but your best choices are: Cast Iron pan, or Dutch Oven.

While you can choose any cut of chicken, but thigh is great choice. One secret of making a delicious fried chicken at home is Brining the chicken beforehand. What is brining you might ask? It is a solution of salt and liquid, and usually other elements like aromatics and sugar are added. Brining will boost the flavor and helps with texture.

It is hard to deny when talking about chicken that there is one dish in particular that stands high above the rest. And, of course that dish: is fried chicken. I will be the first to admit that fried chicken should not definitely be a daily meal, so many people shy away from it for health concerns. If this describes you, well I have good news. Gram for gram fried chicken is slightly higher than beef in both fat and calories, and still higher in protein and most vitamins and minerals.

Now that I have alleviated your guilt, let’s talk about the most important part of fried chicken meaning its deliciousness. Almost very culture has a version of fried chicken in their culinary history, they are all different, but there are some characteristics they all share that make them uniquely fried chicken.

What you need to Make the Best Fried Chicken

• Buttermilk the chicken is brined in a salty buttermilk, this process tenderize the chicken and injecting with flavor.
• The seasoning Mixt all the spices and herbs together
• Eggs the eggs help the flour sticks well in the chicken
• Cornstarch make the crust crispy but not tough
• Flour – all-purpose flour will do
• Oil – Canola, vegetable, or peanut oil, for neutral flavor and the ability to reach the right temperature without burning the chicken.

How to Make My Fried Chicken

Step 1: Brine and marinate the chicken. In a sealable food container or Ziploc bag, combine enough buttermilk to cover the chicken, about 4 cups, with your choice of seasoning. Place the chicken pieces in the marinade, seal, and let sit for at least 30 minutes. The longer the chicken marinates, the more flavorful it will be.

Step 2: Dredge the chicken

Place your seasoned starch of choice in a large, shallow bowl. Dip your marinated chicken pieces into the dredging mixture.

Step 3: Heat the oil

In a Dutch oven, skillet, or thick-walled stock pot, heat your oil to 350°F. Be sure to use an oil that can withstand high temperatures without smoking or burning. Peanut and canola oil are common choices.

Step 4: Fry the chicken

Once the oil is heated, lower in your dredged chicken pieces one by one. Try to work in small batches – crowded chicken doesn’t brown as evenly. Let the chicken fry until the bottoms are crisp and brown, then flip. Once the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, remove from the pan and place on a paper towel or paper bag to absorb any excess oil. Finally, place on a wire rack to cool and dry.

My Juicy Fried Chicken

DifficultyMedium

Servings4 people

Prep time30 minutes

Cook time45 minutes

Total time1 hour15 minutes

This is the best fried chicken I’ve ever had. It has a moist and flavorful interior and a crisp breading that’s robustly crunchy and feathered.

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Ingredients

For the Brining

• 8 cups water
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 lemon , sliced
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 4 cloves garlic, mashed

For The Fried Chicken

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 3 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teasponn white pepper
• 2 cups buttermilk
• oil for frying
• 4 pounds chicken, drumsticks, thighs, wings, whole, legs

Instructions

• 1
  • Place all the chicken brine ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
• 2
  • Boil the brine for 1 minute, until the salt dissolves, then chill it completely.  If you’re in a hurry, you can place the mixture in a bowl and set that in an ice bath. Otherwise, let it chill to room temperature, then place it in the fridge.
• 3
  • Once the mixture is chilled, place the chicken in the brine for 8 hours. Try not to go beyond 8 hours or the chicken will get too salty.
• 4
  • Discard the brine and pat the chicken very dry with paper towels. Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 1 hour while you prep the other ingredients.
• 5
  • Mix the flour with the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Split this between two bowls. Place the buttermilk in a third bowl, and set it in between the two spiced flour bowls.
• 6
  • Using either a dedicated deep fryer or a heavy-bottomed pot at least 10″ wide and checking the temperature with a thermometer, add enough tallow to come a few inches up the pot. Preheat the temperature to 320F.
• 7
  • In the meantime, bread the drumsticks and thighs by dipping each piece into the flour mixture, shaking off the excess, then the buttermilk, shaking off the excess, then the flour mixture again.
• 8
  • Fry the drumsticks and thighs for 10 minutes, until golden brown and 170F inside, then drain on paper towels.
• 9
  • Raise the fryer heat to 340F. Dip the wings and breasts into the flour, shake off the excess, then the buttermilk, shake off the excess, then the flour again.
• 10
  • Fry the wings and breasts for 6 to 7 minutes, until golden brown and cooked to 160F, then drain on paper towels. Enjoy!

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