Ferocious Fried Chicken Food

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.

FEROCIOUS FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Dip pieces into buttermilk, coating thoroughly.
• Combine cornmeal and flour in a shallow dish.
• Roll the chicken in the mixture, coating thoroughly.
• Pour cooking oil into large frying pan, to 1/2 inch depth.
• Heat over medium-high heat until very hot.
• Add chicken pieces to hot oil and cook until golden brown. The hot oil should reach half way up the sides of the chicken.
• Turn pieces and cook on second side.
• When chicken is completely browned, remove from pan and place on a baking sheet.
• Continue cooking in the oven until the chicken is done.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pour the buttermilk into a wide shallow dish and stir in the garlic. Slice the chicken into chunky slices, about 9.5cm long x 3-4cm wide. Lay the chicken in the dish and turn it over in the buttermilk so it is well coated. Leave in the fridge for 1-2 hrs, or preferably overnight.
• Meanwhile, heat a large, non-stick frying pan and tip in the panko crumbs and flour. Toast them in the pan for 2-3 mins, stirring regularly so they brown evenly and don't burn. Tip the crumb mix into a bowl and stir in the paprika, mustard, thyme, chilli powder, pepper and a pinch of fine sea salt. Set aside.
• When ready to cook, heat oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8. Line a baking tin with foil and sit a wire rack (preferably non-stick) on top. Transfer half the crumb mix to a medium-large plastic bag. Lift half the chicken from the buttermilk, leaving the marinade clinging to it. Transfer it to the bag of seasoned crumbs. Seal the end of the bag and give it a good shake so the chicken gets well covered (you could do all the crumbs and chicken together if you prefer, but it's easier to coat evenly in 2 batches).
• Remove the chicken from the bag. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, non-stick frying pan, then add the chicken pieces and fry for 1½ mins without moving them. Turn the chicken over, pour in another ½ tbsp of the oil to cover the base of the pan and fry for 1 min more, so both sides are becoming golden. Using tongs, transfer to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining seasoned crumbs, oil and chicken.
• Bake all the chicken on the rack for 15 mins until cooked and crisp, then serve with the Crunchy coleslaw (see 'Goes well with', below right).

DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN BREAST

Steps:

• Soak the chicken breasts in the buttermilk and salt for 8-24 hours.
• When ready to make the breasts, mix all coating ingredients together, and coat each chicken breast.
• Place oil in a 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet up to about 1/3 of the pan.
• Heat to about 350°F, then reduce heat a bit just before frying the breasts.
• Cook/fry about 8 minutes per side.
• *NOTE* reduce the heat if you find that the chicken is browning too much, careful not to over brown.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat peanut oil in a large deep pot to 350°F (do not fill more than half full--you don't want a hot-oil spill-over accident!).
• For sauce mixture: in a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with the water.
• Add hot sauce and whisk together well.
• Pour this mixture into a large plastic zip-top bag.
• For seasoning mixture: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
• For dredging mixture: In a another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces with a paper towel.
• Cut breast pieces in half across ribs.
• Sprinkle chicken generously on both sides with seasoning blend.
• Drop a few chicken pieces of chicken into bag of sauce mixture and squish around to coat thoroughly.
• One piece at a time, roll chicken in flour mixture and drop into hot oil.
• Don't crowd chicken pieces--I cook about half the chicken at a time.
• Fry chicken until brown and crisp.
• Drain on paper toweling.
• Dark meat will take about 14 minutes, white meat about 10 minutes.
• Remember smaller pieces cook faster than the larger ones.
• You can check for doneness by piercing to the bone in the thickest part with a fork.
• If the juices run clear, it is done.