Frying Breaded Chicken Legs: What You Need To Know

Frying breaded chicken legs in an air fryer is a quick, easy, and healthy way to prepare this dish. The air fryer cuts down on calories and fat by minimizing oil usage while still producing a juicy and tender chicken leg. The process is simple: coat the chicken legs in a mixture of spices and breadcrumbs, place them in the air fryer, and cook for around 25 to 30 minutes. You can also use an electric skillet or deep fryer to achieve a similar result.

Pre-frying preparation: drying, seasoning, and coating the chicken

Preparing your chicken legs properly before frying is essential to achieving the perfect flavour and texture. Here is a step-by-step guide to drying, seasoning, and coating your chicken for frying:

Drying the Chicken

Remove any excess moisture from the chicken legs by patting them dry with paper towels. This step is crucial, as it helps the chicken attain that coveted extra crispy skin. It also helps the oil stick better to the chicken surface, enhancing the crispiness of the final product.

Seasoning the Chicken

The seasoning you use will depend on your taste preferences and the type of dish you are creating. For a simple yet delicious blend, mix salt and black pepper with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and a hint of chilli powder. You can adjust the amount of chilli powder to your desired level of spiciness. Alternatively, you can experiment with other seasonings like oregano, brown sugar, or cayenne pepper for a kick. Mix your chosen seasonings in a small bowl.

Once you have prepared your seasoning blend, place your chicken drumsticks into a large bowl and drizzle them with a small amount of olive oil. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the chicken, then toss the drumsticks until they are completely coated.

Coating the Chicken

If you are frying your chicken in an air fryer, you can skip this step, as the air fryer's cooking method will ensure your chicken is crispy without the need for a flour coating. However, if you are deep frying, you will need to coat your chicken in a dry mixture and a wet mixture. For the dry mixture, combine flour with your chosen seasonings in a shallow bowl. You can also add a little cornmeal for an extra-crunchy texture. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs and milk for the wet mixture.

Now, it's time to coat the chicken. First, place the chicken pieces in the dry mixture, turning them to ensure they are fully coated. Then, dip the chicken into the wet mixture. Finally, give the chicken a second coating of the dry mixture. This double coating will give your chicken an extra thick and crispy exterior.

Your chicken legs are now ready to be fried!

Frying methods: air-frying, deep-frying, and oil temperature

Frying methods play a crucial role in achieving the perfect breaded chicken legs, with air-frying and deep-frying being the two most popular options. Each method has its unique advantages and considerations, which we will explore in this section.

Air-Frying Chicken Legs:

Air-frying has gained immense popularity due to its convenience and health benefits. Here are some key points about air-frying chicken legs:

• Healthier Option: Air fryers require significantly less oil than traditional deep-frying methods, resulting in a reduction of unnecessary calories and fats without compromising the crispy texture we all crave.
• Ease and Convenience: Air-frying chicken legs is incredibly easy and perfect for busy weeknights. It requires minimal prep time, and the air fryer does the rest of the work.
• Tasty and Juicy: Air-frying produces juicy and tender meat with a delicious blend of spices. The circulating hot air ensures even cooking, creating a succulent and crispy exterior with a juicy interior.
• Customizable Flavors: You can experiment with various spices, rubs, and sauces to create your own unique flavor combinations. Try different spice blends like Cajun, Italian, or even a curry mix to suit your taste preferences.
• Single-Layer Arrangement: It is crucial to place the chicken legs in a single layer in the air fryer basket to ensure optimal airflow, even cooking, and crispiness. Avoid stacking or overcrowding the basket.
• Preheating and Temperature: Preheating the air fryer before adding the chicken is essential for achieving that desirable crispy skin. Most recipes recommend preheating the air fryer to temperatures between 380-400 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Cooking Time: Air-frying chicken legs typically takes around 15 minutes, but it's important to flip the legs halfway through to ensure even browning.
• Resting Time: Allowing the chicken to rest for a few minutes after air-frying helps the juices redistribute, making the chicken legs even more succulent and juicy.

Deep-Frying Chicken Legs:

Deep-frying is a traditional method that delivers crispy and juicy chicken legs with a distinct texture and flavor. Here are some key considerations for deep-frying:

• Oil Temperature: Maintaining the proper oil temperature is critical for achieving the desired crispiness. Heat the oil to around 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal results. If the oil is too cold, your chicken will absorb more oil and become soggy instead of crispy.
• Breading Adherence: To ensure the breading adheres well to the chicken, pat the chicken dry before coating it with the flour mixture. This step is crucial for a crispy coating that won't fall off when you take a bite.
• Cooking Time: Deep-frying chicken legs typically takes around 12-15 minutes, but it's important to monitor the internal temperature to ensure the meat is cooked thoroughly. The recommended internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Batches and Overcrowding: To maintain the optimal oil temperature, work in batches and avoid overcrowding the fryer. Adding too much chicken at once will cause the oil temperature to drop, resulting in soggy and oily chicken.
• Oil Choices: Choose oils with a high smoke point, such as canola, vegetable, peanut, grapeseed, corn, olive, sesame seed, or sunflower oil. These oils can withstand higher temperatures without smoking or burning.

In conclusion, both air-frying and deep-frying are excellent methods for cooking breaded chicken legs, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. Air-frying offers convenience, health benefits, and juicy results, while deep-frying delivers that classic crispy texture and flavor. Choose the method that best suits your preferences and equipment, and don't forget to experiment with different spices and flavors!

Frying time and temperature: checking doneness

Frying breaded chicken legs in a fryer is a great way to get crispy, juicy chicken. The key to success is maintaining the correct temperature and frying for the right amount of time.

Firstly, it is important to preheat your fryer to the optimal temperature. For an air fryer, this is usually around 390-400 degrees Fahrenheit. For deep frying, heat the oil to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.

When frying, always cook in batches to avoid overcrowding the fryer. This will ensure even cooking and crispiness. Depending on your fryer and the size of the chicken legs, you will likely be able to cook 8-10 pieces at a time.

The frying time will vary depending on your cooking method. For air-fried chicken legs, cook for around 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. For deep-fried chicken legs, fry for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until the juices run clear.

To check if your chicken legs are cooked, you can use a meat thermometer to ensure an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit has been reached. If you don't have a thermometer, you can check by piercing the thickest part of the leg with a knife. If the juices run clear, the chicken is cooked. If they are still pink, continue cooking until they run clear.

Once your chicken legs are cooked, remove them from the fryer and allow them to rest for a few minutes before serving. This helps the juices redistribute, making the meat even more succulent.

Post-frying: serving suggestions and reheating

Once you've fried your breaded chicken legs, it's important to let them cool for a few minutes before serving to lock in the moisture.

If you're serving these chicken legs at a party, it's best to avoid covering them while they're still hot, as the breading will go soggy. Instead, place them on a hot plate or in a chafing dish and leave the lid off to keep them crispy.

Leftover fried chicken will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days or in the freezer for about four months.

When it comes to reheating, it's best to avoid the microwave, as it tends to make the breading soggy. Here are some alternative methods to reheat your fried chicken and keep it crispy:

• Oven: Preheat your oven to 400°F and place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake for around 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
• Stovetop: Fill a heavy-bottomed pan with about 2 inches of neutral oil, like canola, and heat to 300°F. Fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes on each side until crispy.
• Air fryer: Preheat your air fryer to 375°F and place the chicken in a single layer in the basket. Air fry for 2 minutes on each side.
• Toaster oven: Preheat to 400°F and line the tray with foil. Cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through.

If you're reheating from frozen, it's best to avoid defrosting the chicken first as this can degrade the breading. Instead, microwave the chicken on a paper towel-lined plate until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, and then finish in the oven to crisp up the skin.

Now you know how to reheat your fried chicken legs, here are some serving suggestions:

• Dips: BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, ranch, keto ranch, spicy ketchup, garlic mayonnaise, spicy mayo, hot sauce, or green taco sauce.
• Sides: Potato salad, coleslaw, pickled beet salad, French fries, sweet potato fries, curly fries, or mashed potatoes.
• Salads: Chicken, nectarine and avocado salad, or a classic Cobb salad.
• Sandwiches: Chicken sliders, BBQ chicken sandwiches, or chicken BLT wraps.
• Casseroles: Chicken pot pie, chicken and cheddar biscuit casserole, chicken tortilla bake, or chicken zucchini casserole.
• Soups: Chicken noodle soup, curried chicken tomato soup, or chicken and spinach pasta salad.

Enjoy your crispy, juicy, and tender breaded chicken legs!

Recipe variations: ingredients, spices, and cooking methods

Ingredients

You can use either chicken legs or drumsticks for this recipe. Chicken legs include both the drumstick and the thigh, whereas drumsticks are just the bottom portion of the leg.

If you're short on time, you can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead, as they take less time to cook.

Some recipes call for removing the chicken skin before cooking, which will reduce the fat and calorie content of the dish. However, others recommend keeping the skin on for added flavour.

Spices

For a basic spice mix, you can combine black pepper, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chilli powder. You can adjust the amount of chilli powder or cayenne pepper to your taste, or omit it entirely if you don't like heat.

For a lemon pepper flavour, swap out the chilli powder for lemon pepper seasoning. You can also add dried Italian herbs to the spice mix for an aromatic touch.

If you want to get creative, try experimenting with seasoning blends like Cajun, Italian, or even a curry mix. You can also add a glaze by brushing on some BBQ sauce or honey mustard during the last few minutes of cooking.

Cooking Methods

This recipe can be cooked in an air fryer or a deep fryer. Air frying is a healthier option as it uses less oil, resulting in a dish that's lower in fat without compromising on crispiness.

If you're using an air fryer, preheat it to between 390 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the chicken in a single layer in the air fryer basket and cook for 15 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you're using a deep fryer, heat the oil to 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the chicken for 7-8 minutes on each side, or until it's golden brown and the juices run clear. You can also check the internal temperature with a meat thermometer to ensure it has reached 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Frequently asked questions