Starting with a savory fried chicken recipe, ensure you wash the chicken properly with lukewarm water and drain the excess water. An hour before frying, remove the chicken from the refrigerator to allow it to come to room temperature.
In a plastic bag, mix all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, and paprika. When ready to cook, add the chicken to the seasoned flour and ensure each piece is well-coated. For the best results, fry the chicken until it’s golden brown, which should take about 5 minutes for the second frying.
For an alternative coating, place flour, salt, and cayenne in a large brown paper bag and shake to combine. Brown the chicken in a skillet on both sides, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for approximately 30 minutes.
To create a batter that’s both flavorful and crispy, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, herbs, and white pepper in a large bowl. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, Panko, baking powder, and a blend of 11 herbs and spices for a unique taste.
When you’re ready to fry, prepare a dry dredge mixture by combining flour with the seasonings. Coat the chicken in this mixture before frying. In another approach, mix the flour, garlic salt, paprika, pepper, and poultry seasoning in a large shallow dish. In a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt, and pepper for an easy-to-use dredging mixture.
Heat vegetable oil in a skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F for frying. Remember not to let the breaded chicken sit for too long before frying to prevent it from becoming soggy.
If using a marinade, you can add a bit of the liquid to the dry mix to create small, flavorful lumps in the batter. For those who prefer a buttermilk soak, cover the chicken with buttermilk and let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
To cook the chicken, you can also use a fryer set to 150°C for about 10 minutes, making sure it’s heated through but not overdone. Finally, for a breading that sticks, dip the chicken in buttermilk or egg wash, then into the flour mixture, and let it rest before frying.
