Southern Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- Kosher salt
- One whole chicken, about 4 pounds, cut into 10 pieces or 3 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on breasts, legs, drumsticks, and/or wings
- 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1⁄2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil
Directions
1.Combine the
paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and cayenne in a small bowl and
mix thoroughly with a fork.
2.Whisk the
buttermilk, egg, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the spice mixture in a
large bowl. Add the chicken pieces and toss and turn to coat. Transfer the
contents of the bowl to a gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag and refrigerate
for at least 4 hours, and up to overnight, flipping the bag occasionally to
redistribute the contents and coat the chicken evenly.
3.Whisk
together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and the
remaining spice mixture in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the marinade from
the zipper-lock bag and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Remove one
piece of chicken from the bag, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off, drop the
chicken into the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Continue adding chicken
pieces to the flour mixture one at a time until they are all in the bowl. Toss
the chicken until every piece is thoroughly coated, pressing with your hands to
get the flour to adhere in a thick layer.
4.Adjust an
oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the
shortening or oil to 425°F in a 12-inch straight-sided cast-iron chicken fryer
or a large wok over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain
the temperature, being careful not to let the fat get any hotter.
5.One piece
at a time, transfer the coated chicken to a fine-mesh strainer and shake to
remove excess flour. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Once
all the chicken pieces are coated, place skin side down in the pan. The
temperature should drop to 300°F; adjust the heat to maintain the temperature
at 300°F for the duration of the cooking. Fry the chicken until it’s a deep
golden brown on the first side, about 6 minutes; do not move the chicken or
start checking for doneness until it has fried for at least 3 minutes, or you
may knock off the coating. Care- fully flip the chicken pieces with tongs and
cook until the second side is golden brown, about 4 minutes longer.
6.Transfer
the chicken to a clean wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the
oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of
the breast registers 150°F and the legs register 165°F, 5 to 10 minutes; remove
the chicken pieces to a second rack or a paper-towel-lined plate as they reach
their final temperature. Season with salt and serve—or, for extra-crunchy fried
chicken, go to step 7.
7.Place the
plate of cooked chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to
overnight. When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 400°F. Add the chicken pieces
and cook, flipping them once halfway through cooking, until completely crisp,
about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain,
then serve immediately.
This
article and recipe adapted from this site
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