KFC and All Fried Chicken

Just follow this recipe. And use a kitchen timer. It makes all the difference as to how your chicken is cooked — and not overdone or underdone.

Our Best Southern Fried Chicken

3 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) broiler-fryer, cut up
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup bacon drippings

Combine water and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl; add chicken. Cover and chill 8 hours. Drain chicken; rinse with cold water, and pat dry.

Combine 1 teaspoon salt and pepper; sprinkle half of pepper mixture evenly over chicken. Combine remaining pepper mixture and flour in a large freezer bag. Place 2 pieces of chicken in bag; seal. Shake to evenly coat. Remove chicken, and repeat procedure with remaining chicken, 2 pieces at a time.

Combine vegetable oil and bacon drippings in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or chicken fryer; heat to 360°. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, skin side down. Cover and cook 6 minutes; uncover and cook 9 minutes.

Turn chicken pieces; cover and cook 6 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 9 minutes, turning pieces during the last 3 minutes for even browning, if necessary. Drain on paper towels.

Note: For best results, keep the oil temperature between 300° to 325° as you fry the chicken. Also, you may substitute 2 cups buttermilk for the saltwater solution used to soak the chicken pieces. Proceed as directed.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

– Southern Living

I like the way Paula Deen does hers. The egg bath makes the chicken taste wonderful and the method makes the batter light and stay on the chicken while it fries.

Make an egg bath. Whisk eggs, hot sauce and a teaspoon of mustard together. Have a bowl of seasoned flour ready by it’s side. Dust the chicken in the flour and then the egg bath and then the flour again.

Use tongs to place thighs and drumsticks in skillets. Fry until coating is dark golden on bottom, 10 to 14 minutes; then, using tongs, turn chicken over. Cook until coating is dark golden, another 10 to 14 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh should register 170 degrees.

Have you oil ready. test it by inserting a wooden spoon handle in it. If it bubbles around it it is ready to fry.

There are a couple of tricks to frying chicken.

- Blot the chicken pieces dry as much as possible
- Dredge through your egg & then through the flour. Season your flour before dredging.
- Make sure your oil is hot before putting the chicken in. Drop a small piece of flour into the oil and don’t put the chicken in until you see the flour start to sizzle.
- Once you put the chicken pieces into the oil. Leave them alone. Resist the urge to move them around or flip them.
- Let them cook, uncovered on one side for about 12 or 13 minutes.
- Then flip the pieces and let them cook on the other side for 12 or 13 minutes. Do not move them during this time.
- Watch the frying temp. Keep it at a nice sizzle, but not too high.

That’s it. Take the chicken out. Drain on paper towels. Let it sit for 5 or 10 minutes before you eat.

here is a recipe and video to show you how to make fried chicken:

All above recipes are good solid recipes and will work well.

So I will just add that I like a crispy coating sometimes. I use various ways to get it. One is following the rule to always dry off your chicken well with a cloth or paper towels. I season in a paper bag with salt, pepper and flour and shake a few pieces at a time. Should be very lightly coated if it is dry.

Then dip in the egg wash See above.

Then dip in crushed corn flakes - The best maybe…
Or crushed saltine crackers
Or seasoned bread crumbs (I like the italian style sometimes)
Or Panko Japanese cracker crumbs …OK, that is fancy schmancy! I did put it last.

Follow above directions for frying. Keeping the oil sizzling but not too hot is a key direction or the chicken will not be cooked through. If you accidentially cook them too hot you have to cook them in the oven at 325 for awhile after to fix your mistake. Unfortunately they will not be as crispy.

Hope that adds to the discussion.

I’ve never used egg. I just wash the chicken but don’t totally dry it. Season the flour with your salt and pepper or what ever you want. I use garlic powder and onion powder as well. Get your oil very hot but not smoking. Dredge the damp chicken in the flour and lightly shake off the excess flour. When you put the chicken in the oil it should start to fry right away. This next part may sound strange– listen to the chicken as it fries. As it gets done you won’t hear the frying sound as loud. I also turn the chicken a few times to make sure it cooks evenly.