Chicken is one of the most loved dishes around the world and once you reach that home-cooked fried chicken nirvana, you will never turn back. Thee are a few common mistakes of blocking your damn good fried chicken such as cooking cold chicken, not drying the chicken before frying and using the wrong oil that you should avoid.

Use a deep-fry or candy thermometer for the oil and a probe thermometer to monitor the chicken’s internal temperature. You’ll notice that the oil drops in temperature as chicken pieces are added to the pot. You’ll need to monitor the temperature by adjusting the heat as you fry.

You will start with salting your chicken. You can do this overnight in the fridge or for just 30 minutes before coating and frying the chicken at room temperature. This salting step is critical for moist, flavorful chicken, as it gives the chicken direct contact with the salt.

Combine milk and eggs in a bowl then whisk to blend well then in a large heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Dip a chicken piece in the milk mixture; let excess drip off into the bowl. Put a few chicken pieces in the food storage bag and shake lightly to coat thoroughly. Remove to a plate and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.

Heat oil in a deep, heavy skillet to 325 F and fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, for about about 10 to 15 minutes until your chicken is golden brown and crunchy. Pierce with a fork to see if juices run clear to check for doneness, or use an instant-read thermometer. The minimum safe temperature for chicken is 165 F (74 C).

With a slotted spoon, move to paper towels to drain; sprinkle with salt. Transfer the drained chicken to the prepared pan with rack. Move the chicken to the oven to keep warm while frying subsequent batches. Serve and enjoy.

Ingredients;

  • 8 pieces bone-in chicken pieces
  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
  • 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons ground white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground ginger
  • 1 tablespoon celery salt
  • 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ground mustard
  • 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large egg whites

Instructions;

  1. Place the chicken pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle all over with 1 tablespoon of the salt. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate overnight.
  2. Combine the paprika, white pepper, garlic powder, ginger, celery salt, black pepper, mustard, thyme, basil, and oregano in a large bowl.
  3. Coat the chicken all over with half of the seasoning mixture (about 1/2 cup).
  4. Add the flour, cornstarch, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt to the remaining spice mixture in the bowl and whisk to combine; set aside.
  5. Place the buttermilk, egg whites, and alcohol in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Fit a wire rack over a second rimmed baking sheet.
  6. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dip in the buttermilk mixture to completely coat, then place in the flour mixture.
  7. Shake the flour bowl as needed to completely coat the chicken, then use your fingers to press the flour coating onto the chicken.
  8. Place the coated chicken on the rack and repeat dredging the remaining chicken.
  9. Set aside at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and up to 30 minutes while you set up for frying and heat the oil.
  10. Place the oil in a large Dutch oven, attach a candy or deep-fry thermometer, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is 350°F, about 15 minutes.
  11. Line this baking sheet with paper towels and fit with a second wire cooling rack; this will be your cooling station.
  12. Place 3 pieces of the chicken in the oil and fry, using tongs to rotate the pieces every 3 to 4 minutes and adjusting the heat as needed to maintain 325°F, until golden-brown with an internal temperature of 165°F (check by inserting a probe thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken without touching bone), 12 to 15 minutes.
  13. Transfer the chicken to the rack on the second baking sheet. Make sure the oil comes back up to 350°F before frying the remaining chicken in 2 more batches.
  14. Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving.