Beths Best Fried Chicken Food

SOUTHERN LIVING'S BEST FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon salt with 3 quarts water in a large bowl or container. Add chicken, cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Drain, rinse with cold water and pat dry.
• Stir together remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper. Sprinkle half the mixture evenly over chicken.
• In a large sealable plastic bag, combine remaining pepper mixture and flour. Add 2 pieces chicken to bag and shake well to coat. Remove chicken pieces, shaking off extra flour, and set aside. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Take a large (10- or 12-inch) cast-iron skillet or chicken fryer, for which you have a lid, and fit with a candy or deep-frying thermometer. Add oil and bacon drippings and heat to 360 degrees over medium heat; the oil will ripple and possibly give off a few wisps of smoke.
• Using tongs, immediately add chicken pieces, skin side down (work in batches if necessary to avoid crowding pan). The oil will drop to about 325 degrees, where it should stay; adjust heat so that oil is bubbling gently around the pieces. Cover and cook 6 minutes; uncover and cook 9 minutes. Turn chicken pieces; cover and cook 6 minutes. Uncover and cook another 5 to 9 minutes, depending on size of pieces. If necessary for even browning, turn pieces over a few times toward the end.
• Drain on paper towels or paper bags. Let cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into 10 pieces. Cut off the wings. Remove the legs and separate the thighs. Remove and discard the backbone. Cut the breast into 2 pieces and then cut each breast in half.
• Mix 4 teaspoons salt, the brown sugar and baking powder in a small bowl until completely combined and no lumps of sugar remain. Sprinkle the salt mixture all over the chicken pieces. Place the seasoned chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Wrap the baking sheet with plastic wrap and refrigerate, at least 3 hours and up to 24. (Overnight works best.)
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne and 1/4 cup salt in a large bowl until completely combined. Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and eggs in another large bowl. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, turning to coat and packing it into any crevices. Shake to remove any excess and return to the rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
• Pour 6 tablespoons of the buttermilk mixture into the seasoned flour and work it in with your fingers; it should feel like sand with some clumps. (These clumps will give the chicken a crispy, shaggy crust.) Dip the dredged chicken into the remaining buttermilk mixture, allowing any excess to drip off. Then pack the moistened flour firmly onto the chicken. Very gently shake off any excess and return to the rack. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
• Pour enough oil into a large heavy pot to come halfway up the sides. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the pot. Heat the oil over high heat until the thermometer registers 300 degrees F. Working in 3 batches, fry the chicken, turning often and adjusting the heat to maintain the temperature, until deep golden brown, about 8 minutes for the wings, 10 minutes for the legs and 12 minutes for the thighs and halved breasts (an uncut breast will take 15 to 18 minutes). Transfer to a clean wire rack set over paper towels to drain.

BETH'S BEST SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN

Steps:

• To make the chicken: Cut the chicken into bit size nuggets.
• Mix the egg, 1 Tbs. cornstarch, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and white pepper in a glass or plastic bowl.
• Mix in the chicken chunks, stir and cover with plastic wrap.
• Refridgerate for at least 20 minutes, I often do overnight.
• Heat oil in a wok or large skillet to about 350 degrees F.
• Mix 1/2 Cup flour, 1/2 Cup water, 1/4 Cup cornstarch, 1 Tbs. oil, salt, and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda for the breading into the bowl with the chicken and marinade.
• DO NOT DRAIN OFF THE MARINADE!
• Mix until well coated!
• Fry these pieces a few at a time until all are golden brown.
• Drain off the chicken on paper towels.
• Set chicken aside and keep warm.
• I usually put it in the oven at a very low temperature.
• For the Sauce: Drain and chop all veggies for the sauce at this time.
• Set aside, but keep handy.
• Heat 1 1/4 Cup sugar, 1 Cup chicken broth, 3/4 Cup rice wine vinegar, 1 Tbs. oil, 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 2 cloves garlic to boiling.
• Mix 1/4 cup cornstarch and 1/4 cup COLD water in a seperate container.
• Make sure it is smooth.
• Stir into chicken broth mixture.
• Cook and stir about 10- 15 seconds.
• By this time it should be thickening.
• Stir in veggies and pineapple.
• Heat to boiling once again to get the veggies and pineapple tender.
• Pour over chicken or serve on the side.

NEXT LEVEL FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To make the spice mix, combine all the ingredients. Whisk the milk with the vinegar, egg, ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp spice mix in a bowl or deep plastic container to make the buttermilk marinade. Open the chicken thighs and put between two pieces of baking parchment, then flatten using a rolling pin. Transfer to the marinade, then cover and chill for 4 hrs, or overnight.
• Make the coating by combining the flours and turmeric with most of the remaining spice mix (reserving 1 tsp) and a generous pinch of salt. Drain the chicken thighs, reserving the marinade. One by one, dredge each thigh in the flour, then dip in the reserved marinade, then dredge again in the flour, pressing on as much as you can to coat. Transfer the coated thighs to a large plate.
• Heat a 10cm depth of oil in a shallow saucepan or deep-fat fryer until it reaches 175C. Lower two or three of the thighs in at a time and fry undisturbed for 3 mins, making sure the temperature doesn't drop below 160C (it should stay at about 170C). Flip the thighs, then fry for another 2-3 mins until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. Lift the chicken out and transfer to a tray lined with kitchen paper to drain, then put on a rack and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the remaining thighs.
• When all the chicken has been fried, combine the reserved spice mix with 1 tbsp flaky sea salt and sprinkle over the chicken to serve.

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put chicken pieces in shallow bowl; cover with buttermilk.
• Chill for 1-2 hours.
• Mix dry ingredients.
• Drain chicken; toss with dry mixture.
• Place on wax paper for 20 minutes.
• Heat 1/4 inch oil in large skillet.
• Fry chicken until browned on all sides.
• Cover and simmer, turning occasionally, for 40 minutes.
• Uncover and cook 5 more minutes.