Crunchy Fried Chicken Recipes

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce (optional, for added flavor), salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add in chicken pieces. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 hours.
• When ready to cook, pour the vegetable oil in a skillet until it is about 3/4 inch deep. Heat to 350 degrees.
• Prepare the breading by combining the flour, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, white pepper, cayenne pepper, paprika, and salt in a gallon sized resealable plastic bag or shallow dish. Mix it thoroughly.
• Working one at a time, remove chicken pieces from buttermilk mixture. Shake it gently to remove the excess. Place it in the breading mix and coat thoroughly. Tap off the excess.
• Place the breaded chicken into the 350 degree oil. Fry 3 or 4 pieces at a time. The chicken will drop the temperature of the oil so keep it as close to 350 degrees as possible. Fry each piece for 14 minutes, turning each piece about half way through, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Remove from the oil and place on paper towels. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

CRUNCHY PAN-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine first 3 ingredients in a shallow dish. Dip chicken in egg, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.
• Cook chicken in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 5 minutes on each side or until done.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Take your cut up chicken pieces and skin them if you prefer. Put the flour in a large plastic bag (let the amount of chicken you are cooking dictate the amount of flour you use). Season the flour with paprika, salt and pepper to taste (paprika helps to brown the chicken).
• Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk then, a few at a time, put them in the bag with the flour, seal the bag and shake to coat well. Place the coated chicken on a cookie sheet or tray, and cover with a clean dish towel or waxed paper. LET SIT UNTIL THE FLOUR IS OF A PASTE-LIKE CONSISTENCY. THIS IS CRUCIAL!
• Fill a large skillet (cast iron is best) about 1/3 to 1/2 full with vegetable oil. Heat until VERY hot. Put in as many chicken pieces as the skillet can hold. Brown the chicken in HOT oil on both sides. When browned, reduce heat and cover skillet; let cook for 30 minutes (the chicken will be cooked through but not crispy). Remove cover, raise heat again and continue to fry until crispy.
• Drain the fried chicken on paper towels. Depending on how much chicken you have, you may have to fry in a few shifts. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven while preparing the rest.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the chicken pieces with Essence. Pour 2 cups of the buttermilk over the chicken and cover with plastic wrap. Place the chicken in the refrigerator and marinate for 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and drain. Season the flour with Essence. In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs with the remaining buttermilk. Dredge each piece of chicken in the seasoned flour. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg wash, letting the excess drip off. Dredge the chicken pieces back in the seasoned flour, coating each piece of the chicken completely. Carefully lay the chicken in the hot oil. Fry the chicken for 4 to 6 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and the juices run clear. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large shallow dish, combine 2-2/3 cups flour, garlic salt, paprika, 2-1/2 teaspoons pepper and teaspoons poultry seasoning. In another shallow dish, beat eggs and 1-1/2 cups water; add 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1-1/3 cup flour and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then place in flour mixture, a few pieces at a time. Turn to coat., In a deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Working in batches, fry chicken, several pieces at a time, until skin is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into chicken reads 165°, about 7-8 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels.

EXTRA-CRUNCHY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove 6 tbsp buttermilk and set aside. To remaining buttermilk, add salt and whisk until dissolved. Cut chicken in 8 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs, cut each breast in half). Submerge chicken in buttermilk brine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• In a bowl, whisk together flour, thyme, pepper, garlic powder and baking powder. Add reserved buttermilk and toss with fingertips to form pea-sized crumbs.
• Drain chicken and transfer to breading, 2 pieces at a time. Pack breading onto chicken firmly.
• Heat 4-5 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil to 375°F It should be about 3/4" deep in the pot. Place chicken into hot fat, skin side down. The temperature will drop to about 300°F; maintain the temperature at 310-315°F Cover pot and cook 8-10 minutes; check chicken after 4 minutes to ensure even browning, and move pieces around if needed. After 8-10 minutes, turn pieces over; cook another 6-8 minutes until the second side is also golden brown.
• Remove chicken and drain on paper towels. Allow to drain and cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

CRUNCHY OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken cutlets in a large bowl. Season with garlic, paprika, pepper, thyme, cilantro, and cloves. Mix in buttermilk. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a large baking sheet.
• Mix flour, onion powder, and soul food seasoning together in a bowl. Beat eggs together in another bowl. Pulse pretzels in a food processor until finely crushed. Pour into a shallow bowl.
• Lift chicken cutlets out of the marinade, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Dip chicken cutlets in flour, then in eggs and crushed pretzels. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Discard marinade.
• Bake in the preheated oven until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 40 minutes.

CRUNCHY BAKED "FRIED" CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients.
• Dip chicken pieces in milk.
• Then roll in cornmeal mixture.
• Place in a well greased 13x9 pan.
• Drizzle the butter over chicken.
• Bake uncovered in a preheated 375 degree oven for 50- 55 minutes.
• Note: I think chicken (fried or baked) tastes better if soaked for at least 4 hours in salt water.
• I use seasoned salt- about 3 Tbls.
• in a bowl of water big enough to hold chicken.
• Be sure to dry the chicken before using.

CHRIS'S CRISPY, CRUNCHY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl or pot, dissolve 1/2 cup coarse salt in 3 quarts of water. Rinse chicken pieces, and add to bowl. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove chicken pieces, and rinse under cool water. Clear space in the refrigerator to accommodate a wire cooling rack.
• In a medium bowl, mix together flour, cornmeal, and seasonings, and place in a large resealable plastic bag. Shake. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs, then whisk in buttermilk. Dip half the chicken pieces in the buttermilk mixture, then place in the plastic bag. Shake, and lay out on a wire rack. Repeat for remaining pieces. Put the rack on a rimmed baking sheet, and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2 hours, to set.
• Pour peanut oil to a depth of 3/4 inch in a large iron Dutch oven. Place over medium-high heat.
• When oil reaches 365 degrees (if you don't have a thermometer, wait until the oil starts to smoke -- very hot oil is fine for this recipe), arrange chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and cover. After 5 minutes, remove the cover. Adjust heat level, if necessary, so oil bubbles at a moderate pace -- not too rapidly and not too slowly (medium to medium-high heat is best, depending on the heat conductivity of your pan). Rearrange pieces if some are browning more quickly than others. After 5 more minutes, turn the pieces over. Cook uncovered for 8 to 10 more minutes or until done. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry the wire rack.
• Remove the fried chicken to cleaned wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Let drain for 5 minutes, and serve.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place the cut chicken pieces into a large bowl, and pour the buttermilk to cover them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• In a large plastic bag, combine all of the dry ingredients.
• Heat the oil in a deep skillet to about 370 degrees. Take the chicken pieces out of the buttermilk, and shake them in the bag with the seasoned flour, one or two at a time. Drop them in the hot oil deep enough to cover, and fry for 6 to 8 minutes. Turn and continue cooking. Turn once more, and cook until the chicken is well browned and tender to the fork. Transfer the chicken to absorbent paper. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. If serving the chicken later, allow it to cool completely before packing so that it stays crisp.