Frying Chicken Breasts: Time And Temperature Guide

Frying chicken breasts is a quick and easy way to make a delicious meal. The cooking time depends on the thickness of the chicken and whether it is boneless or bone-in. A medium-sized chicken breast will take 10-12 minutes to deep fry at 350°F/175°C. However, thicker pieces and bone-in chicken will take longer, up to 10-15 minutes. To ensure the chicken is cooked properly, it should have an internal temperature of 165°F/74°C.

Oil temperature: The ideal temperature is 350-375ºF/176-190ºC. Too low and the chicken will be soggy, too high and it'll burn

Oil Temperature for Frying Chicken Breasts

The ideal oil temperature for frying chicken breasts is between 350-375ºF/176-190ºC. If the oil is too cold, the chicken will be soggy, greasy, and laden with oil. If the oil is too hot, the chicken will burn, and you will be left with raw meat on the inside.

How to Achieve the Ideal Oil Temperature

Use a thermometer to monitor the temperature of the oil. Once the oil reaches 350ºF/176ºC, carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil. The temperature will drop, so you will need to adjust the heat to maintain a temperature of 325ºF/163ºC while frying the chicken.

Tips for Frying Chicken

• Do not overcrowd the pan. Frying in batches will help maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking.
• Allow the chicken to rest after coating and before frying. This helps the coating to stick to the chicken and prevents it from sliding off when placed in the hot oil.
• Choose oils with a high smoke point, such as vegetable shortening, lard, peanut oil, corn oil, or canola oil.

Chicken preparation: Butterfly or flatten chicken breasts to ensure even cooking

The uneven shape of chicken breasts presents a problem for cooks: the narrow side often gets overdone while the thick side finishes cooking. Butterflying or flattening the meat is a simple technique that helps to solve this issue. It involves cutting the breast horizontally so that it opens up like a book, creating a more uniform thickness that cooks more evenly. This method can also be used for other meats, such as lamb or pork.

Step-by-step guide to butterflying chicken breasts:

• Place the chicken breast on a cutting board, with the skin side down if it has skin attached.
• Put your hand on top of the chicken breast and insert a sharp knife into the middle of the thickest part.
• Cut horizontally, almost to the other side, so that the breast opens out like a butterfly.
• Place the butterflied meat between two sheets of plastic wrap or cling film and use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound or pummel it to an even thickness.

Step-by-step guide to flattening chicken breasts:

• Slice the chicken breasts in half lengthwise to create thinner, more even pieces.
• If the pieces are still uneven, use a mallet to flatten one or both until they are of equal thickness.

Once you've butterflied or flattened your chicken breasts, you can marinate them before frying to make the meat even more tender and flavourful.

Breading: Cover the chicken breast completely with the flour mixture, then coat with egg and breadcrumbs

Breading chicken is easy once you get the hang of it. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you bread chicken like a pro:

Prepare the ingredients

Before you start breading, gather your ingredients and set them up in an assembly line in the order you will use them. Start with the raw chicken, then place a plate with flour, followed by a plate with beaten eggs, and finally, a plate with breadcrumbs. You can also season the flour with salt and other seasonings of your choice.

Pound the chicken

Use a meat mallet to gently pound the chicken breasts until they are of even thickness. This step ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and gives you a better final product.

Dredge the chicken in flour

Dredge each chicken breast in the flour mixture until it is well coated. Make sure to shake off any excess flour before moving on to the next step.

Dip the chicken in the egg

After dredging in flour, dip the chicken breasts in the beaten egg. Make sure the entire surface of the chicken is coated with the egg. Then, lift the chicken out of the egg and allow any excess egg to drip off.

Coat the chicken with breadcrumbs

Cover the chicken completely with breadcrumbs. Press the breadcrumbs firmly onto the chicken to help them adhere well. Make sure the entire surface of the chicken is coated.

Let the chicken rest

Lay the breaded chicken on a plate or wire rack and let it rest for 15 to 30 minutes. This step is crucial as it allows the breadcrumbs to absorb the moisture and ensures more even cooking.

Cook the chicken

You can cook the chicken by baking, frying, or air frying, depending on your preference. If frying, make sure not to overcrowd the pan, as this will drop the temperature of the oil and affect the crispiness of your chicken.

Following these steps will ensure that you end up with delicious, crispy, and well-coated fried chicken. Enjoy!

Frying time: Medium-sized chicken breasts take 10-12 minutes to deep fry at 350ºF/175ºC

Frying chicken breasts is a quick and easy way to cook this versatile dish. It is important to note that the cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken breasts, the temperature of the oil, and whether the chicken is boneless or bone-in.

For medium-sized chicken breasts, it takes around 10-12 minutes to deep fry at 350ºF/175ºC. This temperature is ideal for frying chicken, as it ensures the outside of the chicken becomes golden brown without burning, while the inside is cooked thoroughly.

To achieve this, heat up 1-2 litres of oil in a deep fryer or heavy-bottomed saucepan to 350ºF/175ºC. Carefully lower the chicken breasts into the hot oil, ensuring they are fully submerged. Fry for 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

To check if the chicken is cooked, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. It should read a minimum of 165ºF/74ºC to be safe to eat. Alternatively, you can cut into the thickest part of the chicken and ensure that the juices run clear.

Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a cooling rack to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Doneness: To check if the chicken is cooked, insert a thermometer into the thickest part. It should read 165ºF/74ºC

Checking if your fried chicken is cooked through is an important step to ensure your meal is safe to eat. Using a meat thermometer is the best way to check if your chicken is cooked. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, ensuring it's not touching any bones, and wait for a steady temperature reading. The chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165ºF/74ºC.

If you don't have a thermometer, there are other ways to check if your chicken is cooked. Firstly, you can poke the chicken with your finger to check its texture. Raw chicken will feel rubbery, while cooked chicken will feel firm and springy. You can also check the juices that have run out of the chicken. If they are clear or white, the chicken is cooked; if they are pink, it needs more time. Finally, you can cut into the thickest part of the chicken and check the colour. The meat should be white or very light pink, and the juices should be clear.

Frequently asked questions