Today I’m offering you the basic and three other recipes for fried chicken.
If you live in South Carolina and can’t cook good fried chicken, you ought to renounce your South Carolina and southern citizenship and move to Canada.
If no one made good fried chicken, what would happen to picnics, family reunions and church dinners? Those gatherings would cease, and without fried chicken how can you invite the preacher for … Sunday Dinner?
Fried Chicken: The Basic
Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Put about a half inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet and heat.
From there we go either of two ways. Some cooks sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper, dredge them with flour and lay them in the hot oil. Others prefer adding the salt and pepper to the flour and rolling the chicken in that, then putting the chicken in the hot oil. Either way, pat the flour into the chicken so that it sticks.
Let the chicken cook on medium heat about 15 minutes. Turn the chicken, cover it, and cook about 15 minutes more. Remove to a rack to drain, then cover to keep it warm until serving time.
Always use tongs to turn the chicken, not a fork.
Garlic Fried Chicken
1 egg, well beaten
1 pinch baking powder
2 teaspoons garlic puree or garlic powder
2 teaspoons olive oil
2½ pounds chicken pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper
¼ cup shortening or oil
Mix together the egg, baking powder, garlic and olive oil in a glass or ceramic bowl. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces, put them into the egg mixture and allow to soak several hours or overnight.
Heat the shortening or oil over low to medium heat. Roll the chicken in the egg mixture a couple of times, then in the seasoned flour, and place in hot oil. Cook uncovered about 30 minutes, turning once or twice until brown.
Crunchy Deep-Fried Chicken
2½ pounds chicken pieces
Salt, pepper, and ¼ teaspoon paprika
Flour, as needed (about 1½ cups)
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil
Wash and pat dry the chicken pieces. Put in a plastic or paper bag the salt, pepper, paprika and flour. In a bowl, combine the baking soda and buttermilk. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat enough oil (about 2 inches) to cover the chicken.
Shake each piece of chicken in the bag with the salt, pepper, flour and paprika. Then dip it in the buttermilk mix and again in the bag of flour. Place in the hot oil. Don’t crowd the pieces. Cook uncovered at 350 degrees about 20-25 minutes until done and evenly brown. Drain.
No-Fat Fried Chicken
2½ pounds chicken pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced
In a large skillet, place the chicken skin side down and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the onion slices on top and cover the pan tightly. Cook on low heat about 30 minutes, then tilt the lid slightly so some of the liquid will evaporate. Continue cooking about 20 minutes until chicken is lightly browned and tender.