Old Fashioned Southern Fried Chicken Food

CLASSIC SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 200 F and place a rack in a large baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, combine the milk and eggs. Whisk to blend well.
• In a large heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag, combine the flour, 2 tablespoons salt, and pepper. Seal and shake to combine.
• Dip the chicken pieces in the milk and egg mixture and let excess drip off into the bowl. Set already dipped pieces aside on a plate until you have three or four.
• Add the dipped chicken pieces to the bag of seasoned flour.
• Seal the bag and shake well to coat the chicken pieces thoroughly.
• Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
• Heat the oil in a deep, heavy skillet to 350 F. While it's heating up, set aside a large serving plate lined with paper towels.
• Fry the chicken, a few pieces at a time, for about 10 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and thoroughly cooked. Be careful not to put too many chicken pieces in at once-even if they can comfortably fit-since this will dramatically drop the temperature of the oil, affecting the crispness of the final product. Note that chicken breasts will take a little less time than dark meat pieces.
• With a slotted spoon, move the done chicken pieces onto the paper towel-lined platter to drain. Sprinkle immediately with salt.
• Transfer the drained and seasoned chicken to the prepared pan with a rack. Keep warm in the preheated oven while frying subsequent batches. Depending on the size of your pan, this recipe will require about 3 to 4 batches.

OLD FASHIONED SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Boil the water and add in the sugar and 1 1/2 cup of salt, stirring the mixture until it has dissolved to create a brine.
• Remove from the heat and combine the brine with some ice in a large, food-safe container.
• Place the chicken in the brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 10 hours and for no longer than 12 hours.
• When ready to cook, fill a large skillet half-way with canola oil and heat to 325 degrees F.
• Fill a brown paper bag with the flour and the 1 teaspoon of salt, fold the top closed and shake the bag to combine the ingredients.
• Fill a large bowl with the buttermilk. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat the pieces dry.
• One by one, dip the chicken pieces into the buttermilk, lift them to drain the excess, then place them in the grocery bag with the flour mixture.
• Fold the bag closed and then shake it to thoroughly coat the chicken with the flour mixture (about 30 seconds).
• Shake the excess flour from the chicken pieces and fry them in the skillet, adjusting the heat of the oil as necessary to maintain it at 325 degrees, turning each over once, until they are done.
• Done should be 155 degrees on the interior for white meat and 165 degrees on the interior for dark meat.

GOOD, OLD FASHIONED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine flour and spices in plastic bag.
• Mix milk and beaten eggs in large bowl.
• Dip chicken into milk and egg mixture.
• Shake each piece off lightly.
• Add chicken pieces one at a time to bag of flour and spices and shake bag lightly until each piece is coated with mixture.
• After removing chicken from mixture, lightly shake some of the flour mixture off.
• Heat oil in deep frying pan or in electric skillet to 350 or 375 degrees.
• Fry each side until tender and golden brown.

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into frying pieces. In a shallow bowl beat the eggs and then stir in the milk, salt, and pepper. Soak the chicken in the milk mixture for 5 to 10 minutes. Roll the chicken in flour, being sure to completely cover each piece. Set aside to dry.
• In a large cast-iron skillet melt lard over medium heat. When the fat is very hot add the thighs and legs and cook for several minutes. Add the other pieces, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown on 1 side (about 5 minutes). Turn and brown on the other side. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the pieces, cover, and continue to cook for 15 minutes longer. Uncover for the last 5 to 10 minutes so the crust will be crisp.

GRANDMA'S SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash chicken pieces and place in a deep bowl. Cover with buttermilk and hot sauce, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Melt shortening in a cast iron skillet to a depth of about 1 inch.
• Heat to about 370º. (No thermometer needed, really. It'll get hot enough while chicken rests AFTER coating if you have your flame on about medium.) If it starts to smoke, turn it down immediately a bit.
• In a doubled brown paper lunch sack, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
• Remove chicken from bowl.
• Using additional seasoned salt and pepper, lightly coat to season chicken.
• Place chicken in bag, one piece at a time. Shake well until thoroughly coated.
• Dip each piece in the buttermilk and coat with flour once again.
• Shake off excess; place on waxed paper for 15 minutes or until dry.
• Place chicken, skin side down, in hot shortening.
• Do not crowd skillet.
• Brown until golden on bottom (good)(skin) side. When chicken pieces are golden on one side, turn pieces over, cover with tight fitting lid, and reduce heat to a simmer, turning chicken pieces ocaisionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is tender. *When lid is placed on, and heat is reduced to a good simmer, the good side of pieces are the top sides. After about 10 minutes, turn back to skin-side down. After another 10 minutes or so, turn back to skin-side up for the last 10-15 minutes.).
• Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer for "crispy on the outside" crust. Remove at once, skipping this step, if a softer outside is preferred. My grandma and great aunts always drained their fried chicken on brown paper grocery bags. This seems to work best for me, too. Paper towels work "ok", too. *If doubling or making alot of chicken, or just wanting to keep it warm til the rest of your side dishes are done and ready to serve, place chicken on brown paper bag-lined cookie sheet in very low oven. GREAT cold, too!
• 4-6 servings.
• To make chicken fingers:.
• Use 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips about a 1/2-3/4 " thick. I skipped the buttermilk and hot sauce part, and dipped them into the flour mixture first, then into 1 egg beaten with about a half of a cup of half and half cream and a little hot sauce. Then back into the flour mixture. Worked out PERFECTLY. I lightly browned them in hot oil on one side, turned them, then put a lid on them. I then only cooked them for 8 minutes. I removed the lid, turned them and cooked them another minute. Drained them on paper towel.YUM!
• *One extra tip: Don't ever turn chicken by piercing with a fork, all the juices will run out and the meat will be dry. Always use tongs and have a sharp spatula handy to get underneath just in case a little bit wants to stick. You don't want to lose that good breading! :).

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.

MY OLD-FASHIONED SIMPLE & EASY FANTASTIC FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine flour and seasoning in a paper (or plastic bag} and and do the herk and jerk thing to coat. You can add 1/2 cup of dry bread crumbs to the mix for texture and crunch if you wish. In a large skillet, (I use a cast iron one) melt enough lard (Yes lard, don't use anything else. T'ain't right) to cover the bottom of your skillet 1/4 inch deep. It's hot enough when a drop of water sizzles well.
• Now then, Don't crowd the chicken. Leave a minimum of 1/4" in space between all pieces. 1/2 inch" or more is better but hey, ya only got so much room in there, right?.
• Put in the breasts first, and lightly brown on all sides then add the rest and brown those on each side, cover tightly. and cook for till tender, about 20-30 minutes.
• Uncover for the last 10 minutes.

SOUTHERN-STYLE BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, salt and pepper, and cayenne in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in the other plastic bag. Shake to mix thoroughly. Transfer one marinated chicken piece at a time into the dry ingredient bag, and shake well to ensure complete coverage. After all chicken pieces are coated, repeat the process by dipping them in the buttermilk marinade and shaking in the dry coating again.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn the oil. When oil is hot, fry chicken in batches until golden brown and juices run clear, turning chicken to brown evenly.

MOM'S OLD FASHIONED FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in a brown paper bag. One by one, coat the chicken parts with mixture.
• In a large skillet, fry the chicken in 1 inch of hot oil until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and drain the oil.
• Put the chicken back into the pan and cover the pieces with cooking sherry. Cover the pan and reduce to simmer. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Serve.

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.

REAL SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk 2 cups buttermilk, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight., In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. Meanwhile, place remaining buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, whisk flour, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and remaining salt and pepper. Place half of flour mixture in another shallow bowl (for a second coat of breading). Drain chicken, discarding marinade; pat chicken dry. Dip in flour mixture to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in buttermilk, allowing excess to drain off. For the second coat of breading, dip chicken in remaining flour mixture, patting to help coating adhere., Fry chicken, a few pieces at a time, 4-5 minutes on each side or until browned and juices run clear. Drain on paper towels.

KENTUCKY-STYLE FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Steam or poach chicken until tender (I like to poach it in chicken stock); dry and keep cool until time to fry (it is convenient to do thes the day before if a large quantity is needed).
• Just before frying, make a batter of the remaining ingredients.
• Preheat fat or oil to 380°F.
• Dip each piece of steamed chicken in batter and fry until a beautiful golden brown.