Savory Southern Fried Chicken Recipes

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roll in flour.
• Add 1/2 to 3/4 inch oil to a large, heavy skillet. Heat to approximately 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place chicken pieces in hot oil. Cover, and fry until golden, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

SAVORY OVEN-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the buttermilk, mustard, garlic and pepper sauce. Add the chicken; seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Drain and discard marinade., In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, paprika, baking powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Add chicken, one at a time, and shake to coat., Place chicken bone side down on a rack in a shallow baking pan. Spritz chicken with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 50-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 170°.

SAVORY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry.
• In a large plastic bag, combine flour,salt,pepper,sage,onion powder,thyme, and garlic powder.
• In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and water together.
• Place the chicken in the bag and shake to coat evenly.
• Dip in the egg mixture and shake again in the bag.
• Fill a skillet with oil and fry the chicken for 10 minutes, turn, and fry for 8 to 10 minutes.

SAVORY SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• NOTE: YOU CAN SINGLE-BREAD OR DOUBLE-BREAD CHICKEN WITH THIS RECIPE (SEE STEP 6).
• WHISK 2 quarts cold water (8 cups) with 2 tablespoons fine sea salt and 2 teaspoons Accent seasoning in a large wide saucepan (with an accompanying lid) until dissolved, for the BRINE.
• RINSE and blot chicken pieces; ADD chicken pieces to marinade; COVER and transfer to refrigerator; MARINATE chicken at least 4 hours in refrigerator (preferably overnight), turning chicken as needed.
• INTO a large Ziploc bag, add the BREADING ingredients; BREAK up any clumps if present, by hand or using the back of a spoon; SEAL bag containing mixture; SHAKE well until combined.
• BEAT 4 eggs in a large bowl, for the EGGWASH; REMOVE chicken from brine with tongs; BLOT pieces with paper towels.
• TO SINGLE-BREAD CHICKEN: Dip one piece breaded chicken using tongs, into the eggwash to wet completely. Drop chicken into the breading. Roll chicken well in the breading to coat. Place breaded chicken onto platter to rest for 15-20 minutes. Repeat with remaining pieces. TO DOUBLE-BREAD CHICKEN: Add 5 teaspoons flour plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch to breading and mix well. Drop chicken into the breading and roll it well in the breading to coat. Drop chicken into the eggwash to wet completely. Quickly return chicken to the breading and roll again to coat well. Place double-breaded chicken onto platter to rest for 15-20 minutes. Repeat with remaining pieces.
• PREHEAT manufacturer's recommended amount of peanut oil in deep-fryer between to 315°F (OR) preheat enough oil to immerse chicken completely in deep heavy stovetop pot between to 315°F (use a heat-safe thermometer to gauge).
• PLACE breaded chicken to the elevated fry basket in deep-fryer without crowding; LOWER the basket slowly into the hot oil (or gently lower breaded chicken pieces using tongs into stovetop pot, turning once halfway through frying duration).
• FRY chicken between 16-20 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on chicken portions/sizes (juices should run clear when chicken is done).
• DRAIN on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet; REPEAT the same cooking procedures until all chicken is fried. DRAIN chicken on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet; TRANSFER rack over a baking sheet and keep chicken warmed in a preheated 170°F oven until serving; SERVE and enjoy!

CLASSIC SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine chicken, buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl. Stir until chicken is well coated. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, or overnight.
• Combine flour, 2 teaspoons salt, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl; whisk until well combined.
• Remove chicken from the refrigerator. Working with one piece at a time, remove from the marinade and allow excess to drip off. Coat evenly in the flour mixture, and set on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
• Pour oil into a large Dutch oven to a depth of 1 inch. Heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Add a few chicken pieces to the hot oil and cook, turning once or twice, until golden brown on the outside, no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Maintain the oil temperature around 320 degrees F (160 degrees C) during cooking. Remove chicken to a clean wire rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Return oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and repeat to fry remaining chicken.
• Serve immediately.

SAVORY SOUTHERN FRIED SEASONING

Steps:

• 3/8 TEASPOON IS 1/4 TEASPOON PLUS ONE-HALF OF 1/4 TEASPOON. TO PREPARE A SINGLE BATCH OF FRIED CHICKEN OR TWO BATCHES PORK CHOPS OR CHICKEN FRIED STEAK, FOLLOW THIS RECIPE: 1 tablespoon fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 2 teaspoons celery salt, 2 teaspoons ground sage, 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered sugar, 3/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme, 1.4 teaspoon ground mace (or 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg), 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon ground rosemary, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Shake mixture well in a resealable container with 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch.
• GRIND fennel seeds, rosemary leaf, and thyme, separately in a clean spice mill or coffee grinder, as finely as possible (for best grinding results, use 4 tablespoons of each).
• MEASURE all recipe ingredients into a medium resealable container then seal.
• SHAKE container well until thoroughly blended (if necessary, break up any clumps by pressing mixture with the back of a spoon, then re-seal and shake mixture again).
• STORE tightly sealed in a cool, dry place away from light.
• FOR FRIED CHICKEN BREADING: Measure 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/3 level cup of this seasoning in a resealable container. Seal and shake well. If double-breading chicken, add an another 5 teaspoons flour and 1 teaspoon cornstarch to breading.
• FOR CHICKEN FRIED STEAK OR PORK CHOP BREADING: Measure 7/8 cup of flour (3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons), 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 8 teaspoons (2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons) of this seasoning into a resealable container. Seal and shake well. If double-breading chicken fried steak or pork chops, add an another 5 teaspoons flour and 1 teaspoon cornstarch to breading.
• ENJOY!