Baconated Fried Chicken Recipes

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Take your cut up chicken pieces and skin them if you prefer. Put the flour in a large plastic bag (let the amount of chicken you are cooking dictate the amount of flour you use). Season the flour with paprika, salt and pepper to taste (paprika helps to brown the chicken).
• Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk then, a few at a time, put them in the bag with the flour, seal the bag and shake to coat well. Place the coated chicken on a cookie sheet or tray, and cover with a clean dish towel or waxed paper. LET SIT UNTIL THE FLOUR IS OF A PASTE-LIKE CONSISTENCY. THIS IS CRUCIAL!
• Fill a large skillet (cast iron is best) about 1/3 to 1/2 full with vegetable oil. Heat until VERY hot. Put in as many chicken pieces as the skillet can hold. Brown the chicken in HOT oil on both sides. When browned, reduce heat and cover skillet; let cook for 30 minutes (the chicken will be cooked through but not crispy). Remove cover, raise heat again and continue to fry until crispy.
• Drain the fried chicken on paper towels. Depending on how much chicken you have, you may have to fry in a few shifts. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven while preparing the rest.

OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Melt butter in 15x10x1-inch pan in oven.
• In shallow dish, mix flour, paprika, salt and pepper. Coat chicken with flour mixture. Place chicken, skin sides down, in pan.
• Bake uncovered 30 minutes. Turn chicken; bake about 20 minutes longer or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest pieces are cut to bone (at least 165°F).

CHICKEN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place crackers in a large resealable plastic bag; seal bag and crush crackers with a rolling pin until they are coarse crumbs. Add the flour, potato flakes, seasoned salt, and pepper and mix well.
• Beat egg in a shallow dish or bowl. One by one, dredge chicken pieces in egg, then place in bag with crumb mixture. Seal bag and shake to coat.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fry chicken, turning frequently, until golden brown and juices run clear, 15 to 20 minutes.

BACONATED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• NOTE: STRAIN HOT BACON DRIPPINGS THROUGH A FINE SIEVE TO REMOVE ALL DEBRIS BEFORE USING. USE REAL ALLSPICE, NOT A CINNAMON//CLOVE/NUTMEG SUBSTITUTE.
• PLACE chicken into a large saucepan (with accompanying lid); WEARING disposable gloves, sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground pepper; RUB seasonings well into chicken; POUR bacon drippings over chicken; RUB again until chicken is thoroughly coated; REFRIGERATE for a minimum of 2 hours to overnight, turning as needed.
• IN a large bowl add the BREADING ingredients except the flour and cornstarch; COMBINE ingredients well using a whisk; ADD the flour and cornstarch; WHISK well until mixture is thoroughly blended.
• IN a medium to large bowl, beat 4 large eggs; ADD the chicken pieces and turn to coat well; TRANSFER a few pieces chicken at a time into the breading container; ROLL chicken in breading until well-coated; GENTLY shake excess breading from chicken; PLACE breaded chicken on a platter and repeat procedures with remaining chicken; LET chicken rest a few minutes to absorb breading.
• ADD the manufacturer's recommended amount frying oil for deep-frying; PLACE deep-fryer basket into place in deep-fryer; PREHEAT fryer to 315°F (or preheat enough fat to immerse chicken completely in deep heavy stovetop pot between 315°F to 325°F, using a standard deep-fryer thermometer to gauge).
• CAREFULLY drop each piece breaded chicken one at a time, gently into the deep-fryer basket without crowding (if a standard size home fryer is used, add no more than 2-3 pieces at a time); (if stovetop frying, gently place breaded chicken pieces into hot oil using tongs, turning once halfway through frying duration).
• FRY chicken between 15-18 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on chicken portions/sizes (juices should run clear when chicken is done); BLOT chicken lightly to absorb excess oil.
• MAINTAIN frying fat temperature for each new batch and repeat the same cooking/steaming procedures for the remaining chicken.
• REHEAT chicken before serving, on grill-inserted broiler pan(s) in a preheated oven until warmed (keep oven temperature at 170°F (do not keep chicken in oven over 25 minutes, since it will lose moisture and flavor at that point).
• SERVE and enjoy!

FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the whole chickens into 4 breasts, 4 thighs, 4 legs and 4 wings and set aside.
• Preheat your oil, in either a heavy pan on the stove or a deep-fryer, to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
• Pour the buttermilk into another bowl large enough for the chicken to be immersed in the buttermilk.
• Prepare your dredging station. Place your chicken in a bowl. Next to that, your bowl of buttermilk, and next to that, your dry mixture.
• Take your breasts, lightly dust them with your flour mixture, then dip them in the buttermilk until they are coated, and then place them in the flour mixture.
• Take the breasts that are in the flour mixture and aggressively push the flour mixture into the wet chicken. Make sure that the chicken in very thoroughly coated, or you will not achieve the crust and crunch you are looking for. Gently place the breasts in your hot oil.
• Next, repeat the dredging steps with your other pieces of chicken in this order: thigh, leg then wing.
• When you place the last wing into the fryer, you should have 16 pieces of chicken in the oil. Set a timer for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, take a probe thermometer and check the temperature of a breast. If it reads 180 degrees F, all of your chicken is done. (Keep in mind that it will continue to cook after it has been removed from the fryer.)
• Remove the chicken from the oil and let it drain for 5 minutes. Let cool for an additional 10 minutes before serving.