Fried Chicken
Fried chicken seems daunting to make, but it’s actually not that hard and it’s very tasty!
Fried Chicken
Plan on 1/4-1/3 lb meat per person.
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Ingredients
- chicken legs, wings, and thighs
- saltwater (1/4 cup salt per 3 cups water)
- milk
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- oregano
- thyme
- rosemary
- garlic salt
- black pepper
- vegetable oil (or other high-heat oil)
Instructions:
- Up to 8 hours before frying, put the chicken in a bowl of saltwater and place in the fridge. (The saltwater pulls the blood out and helps the chicken to be moist.)
- When you are ready to fry the chicken, drain the saltwater and pat the chicken dry. Cut off the excess skin and tuck the ends of the wings in so they are folded up.
- Fill a dutch oven (a skillet works too but the Dutch oven helps keep the oil from splattering out) with enough oil to halfway cover the chicken. Heat over medium/high heat.
- Pour milk into a wide, shallow dish.
- In a gallon Ziploc bag, combine the flour, salt, and spices. Add or substitute any spices that sound good, *Put in about double the spices you think you need.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the milk, then place in the bag with the flour mixture. Shake the bag until the chicken is thoroughly floured, then let it sit for 5 minutes. Shake the bag again and remove the chicken.
- When the oil is hot (flick a drop of water in and if it spits, it's hot enough), place the floured chicken in the oil. Leave enough space in the pan so no pieces touch.
- Fry for about 20 minutes, turning 2-3 times.*After the chicken has browned, you can put a lid on the pan for about 5 minutes (this helps it steam some and be more tender). Just make sure to take it off early enough to let the chicken become crisp again.**This is best served immediately, but if you are making a lot, you can keep it warm in the oven.
Notes:
Prepare Ahead: It is best to marinate the chicken in saltwater ahead of time.