Fried Chicken

I've been developing my own recipes for it, after trying to make it for the first time a few years ago. I think I've really gotten it down.

One of the keys is to marinate it in chicken broth with about a tablespoon of garlic salt. In the refrigerator, overnight.

Then, the breading is usually something like:

1 cup bread flour
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon parsley

But I kind of improvise every time I do it.

EDIT: Forgot to mention: soak chicken in a milk/egg wash before breading. Sometimes, I bread it twice -- egg/bread/egg/bread.

I generally like it best pan-fried at 375 degrees, about 13-15 minutes on each side.

That said, the best fried chicken place I know of is Smithfield's, a Southeastern chain. That stuff is glorious.

The best one-off chicken place I've been to is Mama Brown's, in the Mt. Pleasant suburb of Charleston (right across the road from the famous Jack's Cosmic Dogs, Alton Brown's favorite hot dog place).

I was, however, recently given some astonishing advice -- that the Publix supermarket fried chicken is outstanding. Yes, I was skeptical, too, and then I tried it. Wow. It was good advice.

I used to batter and deep fry chicken quite frequently about 10 years ago.

I made my own beer batter with a can of beer, flour, and old bay seasoning.

I had a shallow pot I would use on my turkey deep fryer outside.

I cut chicken breasts into pieces that were about 2 bites worth. Batter them, and then drop them in canolla oil.

Oh. My. God.


Left over batter went onto onion rings.

:rock

Dragonfly said:

I used to batter and deep fry chicken quite frequently about 10 years ago.

I made my own beer batter with a can of beer, flour, and old bay seasoning.

I had a shallow pot I would use on my turkey deep fryer outside.

I cut chicken breasts into pieces that were about 2 bites worth. Batter them, and then drop them in canolla oil.

Oh. My. God.


Left over batter went onto onion rings.

:rock

Click to expand...

There should always be beer in batter.

zyzygy said:

There should always be beer in batter.

Click to expand...

There should always be beer.

Dragonfly said:

I used to batter and deep fry chicken quite frequently about 10 years ago.

I made my own beer batter with a can of beer, flour, and old bay seasoning.

I had a shallow pot I would use on my turkey deep fryer outside.

I cut chicken breasts into pieces that were about 2 bites worth. Batter them, and then drop them in canolla oil.

Oh. My. God.


Left over batter went onto onion rings.

:rock

Click to expand...

I absolutely love Old Bay. I haven't put the work into fried chicken in so long. The grocery store where I shop makes delicious fried chicken. They fry it fresh on the spot as you order it. But if Old Bay is involved it's worth the effort.

By the way, the breading recipe above is also great on shrimp, and it makes KICK ASS cheese sticks.