Fried chicken is an internationally popular comfort food. While making deliciously crunchy fried chicken may appear daunting, with proper techniques and equipment and some key ingredients you can create restaurant quality dishes in your own kitchen!
With this guide, you will learn to craft delicious and crispy fried chicken every time! Everything from choosing the appropriate type of oil to its temperature and proper coating techniques will help ensure you impress friends and family with this classic dish. With this knowledge at your fingertips, you’ll gain the confidence to consistently create tasty yet crispy fried chicken every time.
What Equipment You Need
There are two pieces of equipment necessary for creating homemade fried chicken at home: Cast iron skillet and deep fryer. A cast iron skillet will retain heat evenly during cooking and are relatively inexpensive and easy to clean if they are already on hand. If not already owned by you they should be easy enough to find in any nearby hardware store without breaking your budget!
Deep fryers are ideal for frying chicken because they are completely enclosed, preventing oil splatter. In addition, the basket allows you to lower and lift chicken directly into the oil without getting it all over yourself or the kitchen. Finally, tongs are an essential piece of equipment when it comes to frying chicken; they provide flexibility while turning over chicken while it cooks while protecting both hands from oil splashback.
Guide To Making Perfectly Crispy Fried Chicken :-
1. Selecting The Right Oil
There are various oils you can use when frying chicken. Popular choices are vegetable, canola and peanut oil which are all relatively affordable and readily available. Your selection will depend on what kind of flavor profile you desire – vegetable oil has a higher smoke point which could give it extra crunchiness – for extra crispy bites vegetable is often recommended since its smoke point can reach higher.
For extra crunchy chicken, peanut oil is ideal as its heat will increase quickly during frying. But for more of a buttery taste, peanut or canola oil are more appropriate choices – keeping in mind that the flavour of each oil will meld with that of the chicken itself to create its signature taste! Choosing an oil carefully is the key to crafting delicious fried chicken dishes!
2. Prepare The Chicken
In order to properly fry chicken, it must first be prepared. There are various methods of preparation; you could either fry an entire bird, legs, breasts or thighs separately. When selecting whole birds for frying you can either cut into pieces before frying, remove excess fat before doing so, season your bird using either spice rubs, salt pepper, store-bought seasonings or spice rubs as needed.
If you prefer a spice rub, the ideal time and day for making one is on the day you plan to fry your chicken. Additionally, let it rest in the refrigerator prior to frying for optimal results; this helps make juicy and more flavourful chicken pieces. Before frying begins, coat your chicken in batter or seasoned flour mixture; this will allow the crispyest results possible and is up to your personal preferences and personal taste.
3. Breading & Coating Techniques
Your choice of coating depends entirely upon personal taste; panko, Japanese breadcrumbs or even croutons could all work equally well as coating options. Furthermore, there are various spices and seasonings you can add for extra flavor like chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper or even oregano that could add another dimension of flavour – whatever coating option you use, always ensure each piece of chicken is completely covered!
Help the chicken achieve the optimal texture and flavour by coating each piece in liquid coating or sauce, or choose one of the precooked options available at grocery stores if time is tight – these tend to be less costly but less tasty options than homemade coatings.
4. Frying The Chicken
Frying chicken can be an extended process. Depending on the type of oil and quantity of chicken being fried, this may take anywhere between 30 minutes and an hour. For optimal results, fry batches at once as this helps regulate temperature levels in the oil and avoid sogginess in your end result.
As well, make sure that the oil temperature falls between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal results. Too hot an oil temperature will cause burnt-on bits in your chicken while too low will leave it too moist without becoming crunchy enough for you. You can use either a deep fryer or electric frying pan equipped with an accurate thermometer to accurately monitor its temperature.
5. Temperature Of The Oil
The right oil temperature is essential when making fried chicken. Too little, and your chicken may absorb too much greasy oil; too much heat could result in its burning before it has time to crisp, leaving its interior raw and rawer than desired. For best results in deep fryers follow manufacturer’s recommendations; otherwise when using a pan you should use high-heat oils such as grapeseed oil or peanut oil heated to about 350degF for best results.
6. Testing For Doneness
When it comes to frying chicken, timing is of the utmost importance. Cutting into it before it is ready will let its delectable crunchy coating disappear into the grease, rendering your delicious creation unsuitable for consumption. To prevent this happening again, using a digital probe for testing doneness will let you know exactly when your dish should come out of the fryer and will give accurate feedback of when its done!
If testing for doneness, ensure the probe is inserted into the thickest portion of chicken. A good way to check if your fried chicken is done is pressing down on its thickest section with your finger – when cooked it should feel firm as soon as you touch it; otherwise more time should be added in the fryer. A meat thermometer may also help determine its readiness; an ideal target temperature is 165degF.
7. Serving The Fried Chicken
Serve Your Fried Chicken To serve the fried chicken, allow each guest to cut their own piece or have it done at the table. Avoid cutting it prior to serving as this will compromise its crispiness. Serve with honey mustard or BBQ sauce as an optional dipping option and pair with either mashed potatoes or fries as a great vehicle to soak up all that flavorful sauce!
Tips & Tricks For Perfectly Crispy Fried Chicken
– Choose an oil with a high smoke point: Vegetable, canola and peanut oils all make excellent choices when it comes to frying chicken. Furthermore, consider creating your own spice rub as this adds both flavour and texture to the crust of the dish.
– Give Your Chicken Time to Rest: Allowing your chicken time to rest is vitally important in creating juicy and flavourful chicken pieces. Also use a large, deep pot that fits all of the pieces at once as this will reduce sogginess from too long being exposed to oil.
Conclusion
Fried chicken is an ever-popular treat, perfect for gatherings of all types and easily prepared at home with just the necessary ingredients, oil and equipment. Following this guide is your ticket to creating delectably crunchy and flavourful fried chicken that everyone will adore.
Also read:- Step-By-Step Guide To Making The Perfect Juicy Cheeseburger
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