Fried chicken is a tough recipe to get right!! But it truly is about following the steps and its all in what you use for batter!!! Depending on what you are looking for as an end result you can use to flavor the batter!!! But the key is in the frying in a cast iron pan!!! There is just something you can not get out of any other pan!!! Try it sometime and I guarantee you will see the sense of home made that comes with cast iron!!! Especially if it was passed down through the family!!!!
Fried Chicken
So I started with some good size chicken legs. Good meaty legs and with the skin on the legs!!! That is part of what flavors and seals the moist flavor of the chicken inside!!! Wow its so good!!!
What You Will Need
- 2 good size chicken legs per person is a good plan but as many as you really want!!!
- Buttermilk
- hot sauce
- cyan pepper
- Garlic power
- onion powder
- salt
- pepper
- Flower
- Cornstarch
- baking powder
Start by soaking the chicken legs if you can over night or all day is the best way to start but you can dip them when you are in a hurry!!! Soaking them in the buttermilk batter will help to keep the chicken moist!!! So you want to make your mix of buttermilk and seasonings and that is what you soak your chicken in
The Batter Or Soak
Start with buttermilk as it has the flavor and consistency that you want to create the crunch you want!!! So buttermilk is really going to set you up for the moist crunch that you want!!! To the about 2 cups of buttermilk you want a tablespoon of salt and a table spoon of garlic and onion powder!!! Now remember if that is too much or too little then go ahead and keep track and this is where making that perfect flavor is depending on your personal opinion!!! So keep track when you make it if you want to add more or less each time!!! Have fun flavors are like a color pallet to an artist!!!
You will also want to add about a teaspoon of hot sauce to your mixture as well!!! That is going to add just enough pop to give it some flavor!! Now you take your legs and thighs and soak them in a ZipLock bag and I usually do that over night!!! That allows the chicken to soak that flavor and moisture up over night!!! And it does make a difference even if you can only soak for a couple hours!!!
The Dry Batter
The dry batter is where you are going to get your crunch from so you want to make sure you are well battered. Do you want a bigger thicker crunch then double batter the chicken back into the butter milk and the flower again!!!
- 2cups of flour
- 1 table spoon of both garlic powder & Onion Powder
- 1 table spoon of salt
- 2 table spoons of corn starch
- 2 teaspoons of baking powder
- 1 Teaspoon of black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cyan pepper (optional)
- Parsley, basil,oregano to taste in dry batter
After you soak your chicken in the buttermilk you want to take it out and allow it to rest on the counter while you prepare everything!!! Just allowing the chill to leave a little will assist in the batter staying on during the cooking process!!! So pull out the chicken and put it in the dry batter you mixed above!!! Making sure that the all the chicken is well coated with the dry batter!!! Now you can stop here if you like less crunch and batter or you can dip in the buttermilk again and re-coat the chicken in the dry batter !!! This is going to give you a much stronger crunch and batter content!!!
Cooking
( IN THE FAMILY CAST IRON IS BEST!!!)
Take the time to get out the family cast iron pans and if you do not have any start some!!! I am telling you these pans carry the flavors of generations past!!! They are amazing and really a great hand me down through the generations so invest in some great cast iron pans and enjoy cooking and seeing what the generations past saw!!!
Cooking Your Fried Chicken grease 375 degrees
Start with vegetable oil in a deep cast iron fry pan or dutch oven is the best!!! You want just enough grease to cover the chicken but not really floating!! You want to still be able to flip the chicken and have it sit on the bottom of the pan while it is cooking!!! And trust me when you master this you will always make your chicken at home!! Its so much better!!!
You want to allow them to brown all the way around!! Flipping them but being careful of not dropping in the grease!!! This is one of the most dangerous ways to cook!!! Be very cautions when cooking with any amount of grease on a stove!!! When you think they are done you want to use a meat thermometer to check!! I usually will call it good about 170 degrees on the bone!!! That usually ensures the chicken is done but not over cooked and it comes out perfect every time!!! So the meat thermometer is the way to go!!!
The smells and flavors you get when you make your own fried chicken at home is awesome!!! As a matter of fact I am going to make it this Sunday for my niece and her boyfriend!!! So excited to try it again!!! Tweaking it each time to make it perfect!!! That is the fun!!!
Pairing Fried Chicken at Home with a Chardonnay From Wine Ambassador (or any white wine you desire)
Go Here And Get More Information On This Amazing
Wine Of The Month Club
What an a amazing combination of the buttery Chardonnay And the flavors of the moist fried chicken!!! The flavors melt together to create a joyful combination of flavors that give you an event every time you pair these amazing wines with recipes you are inspired to try each month!!! The more you do it the more you enjoy and and get excited to try the new wines and suggestions!!!
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