Peking Deep Fried Chicken Recipes

SOUTHERN STYLE DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium pan, place chicken and cover with milk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight. This helps tenderize the meat, but is optional
• In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, using tongs, transfer chicken into pot, then pour in the milk. Bring milk to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low allowing to simmer until the chicken is cooked through entirely, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the milk, and place on a rack to cool. Allow them to sit until warm about 15 minutes, and then pat dry using a kitchen towel.
• Heat vegetable shortening in a Dutch oven over high heat just until it's nearly at the smoking point around 325 degrees F.
• In a large zip-lock bag, add salt, flour, cayenne pepper, shake to combine.
• In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg.
• Place each piece of chicken, 1 at a time, in the bag and shake to coat the chicken. Then dip chicken into the egg to coat. Place the chicken back into the flour to coat for a second time. Repeat this method on remaining 3 pieces of chicken.
• Gently drop each piece of chicken into hot oil, allowing the skin to crisp and turn golden brown in color, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

PICKLE-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken thighs in a resealable plastic bag; cover with pickle juice. Seal and refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Drain pickle juice from thighs. Cover chicken; refrigerate until ready to fry.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 2 inches oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Pour buttermilk and flour into 2 separate bowls. Season flour with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in buttermilk. Toss in flour. Return to buttermilk and toss in flour a second time. Place chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet.
• Fill Dutch oven with as many thighs as possible without crowding. Cook at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes per side. Place thighs on the baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are fried. Transfer thighs to the oven.
• Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, 5 to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Season with a pinch of salt.

PEKING-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pare the zest from the orange in thick strips then mix with the soy sauce, sherry and fivespice powder in a large food bag. Bash the garlic cloves and ginger with the back of a knife to bruise them, then add to the bag and give everything a good mix. Put the chicken in the bag, rub the marinade all over the flesh then leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hrs, overnight ideally.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Remove the chicken from the marinade (keep it for later). Halve the orange and put both halves inside the cavity along with the bashed ginger and garlic from the marinade. With the chicken sitting on a rack in the sink, pour a kettleful of boiling water over it. Pat completely dry with kitchen paper. Set the chicken on its wire rack over a roasting tray and roast for 50 mins per kg or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer.
• Strain the marinade into a pan along with the honey. Bring up to the boil then simmer for a couple of mins. Just before serving, turn the oven up as high as it will go. Brush some of the marinade all over the chicken. Return to the oven and cook until the chicken is crisp and browned. This will only take a couple of mins. Leave to rest, uncovered, for 5 mins. Serve with the remaining warmed marinade, some plain rice and bok choi or spinach stirfried with a little garlic and oyster sauce.

DEEP SOUTH FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat the shortening in a large, cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.
• In a brown paper lunch bag, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Shake two chicken pieces in the bag to coat, and place them in the skillet. Repeat until all of the chicken is coated and in the skillet.
• Fry the chicken over medium-high heat until all of the pieces have been browned on both sides. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Remove the lid, and increase heat to medium-high. Continue frying until chicken pieces are a deep golden brown, and the juices run clear.

PEKING CHICKEN - DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN LEGS

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the chicken.
• Cut the chicken into 8 equal pieces.
• Rub the salt and white pepper over the chicken pieces.
• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, Chinese rice wine or sherry, 2 of the chopped green onions, minced ginger and sugar.
• Set aside half of the marinade to use later.
• Place the chicken pieces in a large resealable bag.
• Pour in the unreserved marinade.
• Seal and place in the refrigerator. Marinate for 4 to 6 hours, turning occasionally to make sure all of the chicken is covered.
• Heat oil for deep-frying to between 360-375°F.
• While the oil is heating, drain the chicken pieces and discard the marinade used to marinate the chicken.
• Make sure the chicken pieces are quite dry.
• Dredge each of the chicken pieces in the flour.
• Deep-fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in the hot oil until they are golden brown and crispy.
• Remove from the wok with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoons oil from the wok.
• Add the minced garlic and the reserved green onion and stir-fry until aromatic (about 30 seconds).
• Add the reserved marinade.
• Bring to a boil.
• Add the deep-fried chicken.
• Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for about 5 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Serve immediately.