# Fried Chicken



## JohnnyChance (Mar 16, 2011)

Made some fried chicken tonight. Soaked in buttermilk and yogurt overnight with some seasonings. Dredged in flour and corn flour. Also some home made coleslaw. Dessert was strawberries macerated in balsamic vinegar and served over ricotta.


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## Ratton (Mar 16, 2011)

Man that looks GOOD!!!!!!!


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## Pensacola Tiger (Mar 16, 2011)

I can almost smell the chicken! Nice work.


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## ThEoRy (Mar 16, 2011)

Sounds really good. Nice work!


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## Jim (Mar 16, 2011)

That made my mouth water! Nice job!


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## Vertigo (Mar 16, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


>


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## obtuse (Mar 17, 2011)

[email protected] that looks good. I hope you don't mind if I invite myself over for dinner.


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## JeffS (Mar 17, 2011)

Very Nice. I love good pan fried chicken. Learned how to cook it from my grandfather and think in the last few years I finally passed him.

How do you find the corn flour changes the crust? I have been using a 50/50 mix of flour and rice flour for a very thin but crunchy crust.


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## JohnnyChance (Mar 17, 2011)

JeffS said:


> Very Nice. I love good pan fried chicken. Learned how to cook it from my grandfather and think in the last few years I finally passed him.
> 
> How do you find the corn flour changes the crust? I have been using a 50/50 mix of flour and rice flour for a very thin but crunchy crust.



I like it. Gives it a little more body than straight all purpose wheat flour. never tried rice flour.


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## JeffS (Mar 17, 2011)

Hmmm might have to give corn flour a try.

I have found the rice flour helps add a level of crunch to the crust that wheat flour just can't match. Straight rice flour produces a crust that is way too thin for fried chicken, but a mix seems to give a great mix of body and crunch. Got the idea of using rice flour from a Vietnamese version of fried chicken.

Another question for you, how do you like your oil level? I notice in the pics that you are using a fairly shallow fry. I have started using a little higher level of oil in the pan when I fry. Still not quite half way up the chicken, but a little higher then what you have there. Have you tried a higher level?

Sorry for all the questions. I just love talking to people about their fried chicken. Always interesting to see what other people are doing


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## chazmtb (Mar 17, 2011)

Lovely work. Southern pan fried chicken.


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## JohnnyChance (Mar 17, 2011)

JeffS said:


> Hmmm might have to give corn flour a try.
> 
> I have found the rice flour helps add a level of crunch to the crust that wheat flour just can't match. Straight rice flour produces a crust that is way too thin for fried chicken, but a mix seems to give a great mix of body and crunch. Got the idea of using rice flour from a Vietnamese version of fried chicken.
> 
> ...



Don't have a standard oil height. I really don't make fried chicken that much. Maybe once a year. Just went with enough to seem like enough without going crazy.


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## JohnnyChance (Mar 17, 2011)

chazmtb said:


> Lovely work. Southern pan fried chicken.


 
well, connecticut pan fried chicken.


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## stereo.pete (Mar 18, 2011)

I've never made fried chicken before but I plan on doing so soon. One question I've always had is, how do you know when the meat on the inside is cooked through? How long does it usually take?


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## deanb (Mar 18, 2011)

Love the idea of mixing rice flour with wheat flour. I use whole wheat flour fried in butter to brown then finish on a rack in a 325* oven. Then I make gravy with the pan drippings. I'm going to try mixing in the rice flour.


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## Kyle (Mar 18, 2011)

stereo.pete said:


> I've never made fried chicken before but I plan on doing so soon. One question I've always had is, how do you know when the meat on the inside is cooked through? How long does it usually take?


 
Typically I stick my Thermapen in everything, but with fried chicken I do it the way my grandma did: when the color looks the way fried chicken should look I pull it from the fryer. 

I'm only posting my method so that someone can maybe give me a better way. I suppose I could measure the internal temp of the chicken as well.


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## JohnnyChance (Mar 18, 2011)

stereo.pete said:


> I've never made fried chicken before but I plan on doing so soon. One question I've always had is, how do you know when the meat on the inside is cooked through? How long does it usually take?


 
Thermometer is always good. I can also tell by touching/poking it with my finger, but this only works reliably if you have temped hundreds of pieces of proteins. The smaller pieces, like the drumsticks and thighs, I wasnt really worried about, but the breast meat I had was on the bone and quite large, so I had to cook those on 4 sides. 

I didnt finish cooking them in the oven, but I did put some of them in a warm oven to keep the hot while I finished cooking the rest. I guess the tricky part might be getting the oil to the correct temperature where its not so hot that it burns the outside before the inside is cooked. the big cast iron pan helps here, and if I thought something was getting too much color too quickly, i moved it to a cooler spot in the pan.


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## Jay (Mar 18, 2011)

My invitation must have gotten lost in the mail.

That looked great.


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## JeffS (Mar 18, 2011)

Kyle said:


> Typically I stick my Thermapen in everything, but with fried chicken I do it the way my grandma did: when the color looks the way fried chicken should look I pull it from the fryer.
> 
> I'm only posting my method so that someone can maybe give me a better way. I suppose I could measure the internal temp of the chicken as well.



I have to second this. Color and sound are both great indicators with fried chicken. I do recommend using a thermometer the first few times so that you have a base line to start from. Practice makes perfect with fried chicken. I have no idea how much I have made in the past 15 years.



JohnnyChance said:


> Thermometer is always good. I can also tell by touching/poking it with my finger, but this only works reliably if you have temped hundreds of pieces of proteins. The smaller pieces, like the drumsticks and thighs, I wasnt really worried about, but the breast meat I had was on the bone and quite large, so I had to cook those on 4 sides.
> 
> I didnt finish cooking them in the oven, but I did put some of them in a warm oven to keep the hot while I finished cooking the rest. I guess the tricky part might be getting the oil to the correct temperature where its not so hot that it burns the outside before the inside is cooked. the big cast iron pan helps here, and if I thought something was getting too much color too quickly, i moved it to a cooler spot in the pan.



Touch is very helpful on the breasts. I don't find it as helpful on the thighs and drumsticks. The bones tend to throw off the feel too much for me. Cast iron for frying chicken is the way to go for sure.



deanb said:


> Love the idea of mixing rice flour with wheat flour. I use whole wheat flour fried in butter to brown then finish on a rack in a 325* oven. Then I make gravy with the pan drippings. I'm going to try mixing in the rice flour.


 
Hope you like it. Its worked well for me.


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## JohnnyChance (Mar 18, 2011)

JeffS said:


> Touch is very helpful on the breasts.



Words to live by.


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## JeffS (Mar 18, 2011)

JohnnyChance said:


> Words to live by.


 
I agree. lol


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## chazmtb (Mar 18, 2011)

Touch is also good for the legs and thighs too, if you know what you are doing.


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