Mastering The Art Of Frying Chicken In A Deep Fryer

Making fried chicken in a deep fryer is a great way to get delicious, crispy results. The key to success is maintaining the right temperature and following a few simple steps. Here's an introduction to the topic, with some tips and tricks to help you get started.

First, it's important to choose the right oil for frying. Vegetable oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and lard are all popular choices as they have high smoke points and won't compromise the flavour of the chicken. Next, prepare your chicken by cutting it into pieces and soaking it in a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce. This step is crucial for tender, juicy meat. After marinating, coat the chicken pieces in a seasoned flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Now, it's time to fire up your deep fryer! Preheat your oil to around 350°F (175°C). When the oil is hot, carefully lower the chicken pieces into the fryer in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the fryer. Fry the chicken until it's golden brown and crispy, maintaining a temperature of around 325°F during the cooking process. The exact cooking time will depend on the size of your chicken pieces, but dark meat typically takes about 12-14 minutes, while white meat takes 8-10 minutes.

Once your chicken is cooked to perfection, remove it from the fryer and let it cool slightly before serving. Enjoy your delicious, crispy fried chicken!

Prepare the chicken

Preparing the chicken is a crucial step in achieving the perfect fried chicken. Here is a detailed guide to help you through the process:

Firstly, gather your chicken. You can use a whole chicken cut into pieces, or opt for specific parts such as breasts, drumsticks, wings, legs, and thighs. It is recommended to use a cut-up fryer chicken or break down a whole chicken into parts.

Next, prepare your marinade. In a large bowl, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. You can also add some spices like paprika, black pepper, or cayenne pepper to the buttermilk mixture for an extra kick. Mix well, ensuring the spices are evenly distributed. Place the chicken pieces in this mixture and coat them thoroughly. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, but preferably overnight for maximum flavour.

Now, it's time to prepare the coating. In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch (if desired), salt, and any additional spices you wish to include. Mix this dry mixture well, ensuring everything is evenly distributed.

Take each piece of chicken from the buttermilk marinade, letting the excess drip off. Generously coat each piece with the flour mixture, ensuring all areas are covered. Shake off any excess flour and place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack or tray. Let the coated chicken sit for a few minutes until the coating starts to look a little pasty. This step is crucial, as it ensures a crispy exterior.

Your chicken is now prepared and ready for frying! Remember to heat your oil to the appropriate temperature and cook in batches to avoid overcrowding your fryer. Enjoy your delicious, crispy fried chicken!

Make the seasoned flour mixture

To make the seasoned flour mixture for fried chicken, you'll need just a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of preparation time. This mixture is key to getting that delicious, crispy, golden coating on your fried chicken.

Start by measuring out 2 cups of all-purpose flour. You can use a plain flour or a self-raising flour for this recipe – the choice is yours. Next, you'll want to season the flour. This is where you can get creative and add your favourite herbs and spices. A good place to start is with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. You could also add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick of heat, or some smoked paprika for a deeper, richer flavour. A teaspoon of garlic powder will add a savoury note, and a teaspoon of dried thyme or oregano will bring a lovely herbal aroma to your chicken.

Mix all of these dry ingredients together in a large bowl. You can use a whisk to ensure everything is fully combined, or simply stir with a fork until you see no more streaks of individual spices. You could also make a larger batch of this seasoned flour and store it in an airtight container to use another time – simply double or triple the quantities of the ingredients above.

For a crispier texture, some people like to add a little cornstarch to their flour mixture. This is entirely optional, but if you want to try it, substitute 1/4 cup of the flour with cornstarch. You could also add a little baking powder – around 1/2 teaspoon – which will make the chicken extra crispy and help the flour mixture to really stick to the chicken.

Once you've made your seasoned flour mixture, you're ready to coat your chicken pieces. Dip each piece first in some beaten egg, and then fully coat it in the flour mixture. Really press the flour onto the chicken to ensure it's fully covered. Then, your chicken is ready to be carefully lowered into the hot oil in your deep fryer.

Heat the oil

Heating the oil is a crucial step in the fried chicken process. The oil temperature will determine the cooking time and the crispiness of the chicken.

Firstly, you need to choose the right type of oil. Vegetable oil and peanut oil are the most commonly used oils for frying chicken, as they have high smoke points. This means that they can withstand high temperatures without smoking or burning, which is important when frying at high heat.

If using a deep fryer, fill it with oil to the recommended level, usually about half full. Set the temperature to 375°F. The oil will take some time to heat up, so it's a good idea to turn on the fryer before you start preparing the chicken.

When the oil reaches the desired temperature, carefully lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil. You may need to work in batches to avoid overcrowding the fryer, which can cause the oil temperature to drop too much. The amount of chicken you can fry at once will depend on the size of your fryer and the size of the chicken pieces.

Once the chicken is in the oil, you can lower the temperature to 325°F-350°F. Fry the chicken until it is golden brown and crispy, turning the pieces occasionally to ensure even cooking. The cooking time will depend on the size of the chicken pieces, but it usually takes around 12-14 minutes for dark meat and 8-10 minutes for white meat.

It's important to monitor the oil temperature throughout the cooking process. If the oil gets too hot, it can burn the chicken or make it greasy. If it's not hot enough, the chicken will take longer to cook and may absorb too much oil.

Once the chicken is cooked to your desired level of doneness, remove it from the oil and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Fry the chicken

Frying the chicken is the most important part of the process, so it's crucial to get it right. Here is a detailed, step-by-step guide on how to fry your chicken to perfection:

Prepare the Oil

Firstly, you'll need to heat your oil to the right temperature. If you're using a deep fryer, set the temperature to 375°F. If you're using a skillet or pot, heat the oil until it's very hot and reaches around 350°F. It's important to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as vegetable oil or peanut oil.

Coat the Chicken

Before frying, you'll need to coat your chicken pieces. This can be done in a few ways, but the basic steps are as follows:

• Prepare a seasoned flour mixture by combining flour with seasonings like garlic salt, paprika, salt, and pepper. You can also add cornstarch to the mixture for extra crispiness.
• Dip the chicken pieces in buttermilk, or a mixture of buttermilk and hot sauce. Alternatively, you can moisten the chicken with water.
• Coat the chicken with the seasoned flour mixture. Make sure each piece is well-coated.
• For an extra crispy coating, double-dip the chicken by repeating the process and dipping it in the buttermilk and flour mixture again.
• Let the coated chicken sit for a few minutes until the coating starts to look pasty. This step is crucial for a crispy exterior.

Now it's time for the main event—frying! Here's what you need to do:

• Carefully place the chicken pieces into the hot oil. Don't overcrowd the fryer or pot; fry in batches if necessary.
• Fry the chicken until it's golden brown, turning it every few minutes to ensure even cooking.
• For a deep fryer, maintain a temperature of around 325°F during the cooking process. If using a skillet or pot, you may need to adjust the heat to prevent the oil from getting too hot.
• The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. This should take around 8-14 minutes, depending on the size and type of chicken piece.
• Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil.
• Sprinkle a little flaked salt on top of the fried chicken for extra flavour.

Tips for Success

• Don't rush the process. Good fried chicken takes time!
• Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it's cooked through.
• If using a cast iron skillet or pot, keep a close eye on the heat to prevent the oil from getting too hot and burning the chicken.
• Let the fried chicken cool completely before storing it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days.

Drain the chicken

Draining the chicken is an important step in the process of making fried chicken. Once the chicken is done frying, use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully remove the chicken pieces from the hot oil. Hold the chicken over the fryer for a few seconds to allow excess oil to drip back into the pot before transferring the chicken to a paper towel-lined plate or tray. This will help absorb any excess oil and prevent the chicken from becoming greasy. It is important to note that the chicken should not be stacked on top of each other on the plate to ensure even draining.

Let the chicken rest for at least 5 minutes before serving. This resting period allows the juices inside the chicken to redistribute, ensuring that the chicken stays moist and juicy. It also gives the crust a chance to cool down, creating that signature crispy texture. During this time, you can sprinkle the chicken with additional salt or other seasonings, as they will stick to the freshly fried skin.

If you are making a large batch of fried chicken, you may need to keep the cooked chicken warm while the rest of the batch finishes frying. In this case, you can place the fried chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and keep it in a warm oven (around 200°F) until ready to serve. This will help keep the chicken crisp and warm without making it soggy.

Properly draining and resting the chicken is crucial to achieving the perfect fried chicken texture and ensuring that the crust stays crispy and the meat stays juicy. It is worth noting that fried chicken is best served fresh, but if you do have leftovers, allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Frequently asked questions