Fried chicken is one of those classic American dishes, offering almost as many ways to cook it, as there are people to eat it. Of course, no matter how you choose to make it, there are some things you can do to make better chicken. Here are some tips that can assist you in avoiding some of the common issues and get the best chicken possible.
Battering Your Chicken
It is a good idea to set up a battering or breading station, depending on how you are making your chicken. The flour coated type is the most common. Set things up going in the most comfortable direction, with seasoned flour, egg/batter, and coating mixtures in baking dishes or shallow bowls. Remember to have a place to put the chicken safely when you are done.
Keep one hand working with dry materials and one working with wet so that the ingredients will not contaminate each other. Dip some chicken in flour, and then coat it in the batter. Use the hand working with wet materials to transfer the piece to the coating bowl after it is properly moistened.
Once you have coated all the pieces of chicken, they will need some time for the coatings to adhere properly. If you are not likely to be frying the chicken within a half an hour, this should be done in the refrigerator. Of course, there are plenty of other methods for battering and breading, and you may have a fried chicken recipe that you prefer to use instead.
The Pan Frying Process
If you have ever had bad fried chicken, you know that there is a huge difference between crisp on the outside and moist on the inside and the soggy, greasy chicken that results from frying it wrong. The factors that are most likely to cause problems are the temperature of the oil, plus the way you choose to fry. Make sure you use a high smoke point oil such as peanut, melted shortening, lard, and similar ones that will not smoke when hot.
Use a skillet made from cast iron for the crispiest result, but steel and other heavy materials can work as well, as long as they have enough mass to maintain heat properly. Your fat should be deep enough to come halfway up the side of your chicken pieces and maintained around three hundred fifty degrees, so the chicken is crisp, not greasy.
Lower the pieces into the oil with the skin side down to reduce splatters and work away from your body to keep spatter down. Use tongs and fry in batches to avoid overcrowding. A crowded skillet lowers the oil temperature and causes cooking problems.
Once your chicken pieces have become a deep golden brown, you will want to remove them and transfer to a rack for cooling. Place this rack over a baking sheet so that all drips are caught. Use an instant read thermometer to check the meat’s internal temperature for safety, then start cooking the next batch of delicious chicken.
Fried chicken is a classic comfort food and no one knows how to make it better than the southern United States. If you are looking for some recipes, southern fried chicken we have a bunch that you will love to try.