Mahogany Fried Chicken Recipes

MAHOGANY CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch.
• Pat the chicken dry and season with freshly ground black pepper.
• In a large nonstick skillet over moderate heat, heat the oil until hot but not smoking. Add the chicken skin side down, and cook until the skin is crisp and deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until the other side is browned and the meat is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and drain the fat from the pan.
• Add the soy sauce mixture to the skillet and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken to the skillet and turn to coat in the sauce. Simmer the chicken, skin side up, until the sauce is thick and glossy, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter, spoon the sauce over the top, sprinkle with the sliced onions, and serve.

MAHOGANY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Stir together buttermilk and 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper in a large bowl; add chicken, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
• In a large brown paper bag, combine flour with remaining 1 teaspoon cayenne, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper; shake to combine. One at a time, place chicken pieces in the bag; shake to coat. Place coated pieces on a clean plate or tray.
• In a large skillet, heat 2 inches oil to 350 degrees. Using tongs, add chicken one piece at a time, being careful to not overcrowd pan. Fry, turning every 3 to 4 minutes, until deep mahogany in color, about 18 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet, and drain on a brown paper bag. Serve hot, warm, or cold.

TRINI-CHINESE CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large, nonreactive bowl, toss the chicken with five-spice powder, then with the juice of 2 of the limes, the soy sauce and the ginger. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours.
• Heat oils in a large skillet over medium-high heat. There should be at least 1/4 inch of oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess marinade to drip back into the bowl, and fry, in batches if necessary to not crowd the pan, turning the pieces frequently, until well browned and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Combine oyster sauce, a tablespoon of the Scotch-bonnet-pepper sauce and the juice of the remaining lime and stir to combine. Adjust seasonings with more hot sauce, lime juice and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
• Garnish with scallions and serve with white or fried rice, with a drizzle of the sauce over each piece of chicken and the remaining sauce on the side.

PERFECT FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Put buttermilk, 1/4 cup salt, and the hot sauce (if desired) in a large, airtight container. Add chicken pieces; turn to coat. Cover; refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Put flour, remaining 5 teaspoons salt, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder in a large resealable plastic bag. Shake vigorously.
• One at a time, place chicken pieces in bag, and shake to coat. Remove from bag, and shake off any excess. Transfer coated pieces to a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let stand 30 minutes.
• Heat shortening (and bacon drippings, if desired) in two 10-inch cast-iron skillets over medium-low heat until it registers 375 degrees on a deep-fry thermometer. (Alternatively, use one skillet and half the shortening and drippings, and cook in batches.) Using tongs, place thighs and drumsticks in skillets. Fry until undersides are dark golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Turn pieces over; cook until dark golden all over and an instantread thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 170 degrees, another 10 to 14 minutes.
• Transfer to a wire rack (clean the rack that held raw pieces before reusing it) set over a baking sheet. Transfer rack and sheet to oven to keep chicken warm.
• Remove any bits of coating left in skillets with a slotted spoon; discard. Repeat process to fry breasts and wings, 10 to 14 minutes per side (cook until an instantread thermometer inserted into the breast registers 170 degrees).

MAHOGANY CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Place chicken in a shallow, medium dish.
• In a medium bowl, mix soy sauce, honey, molasses, chile sauce, ground ginger and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate approximately 1 hour, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large baking dish, arrange chicken in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven approximately 50 minutes, brushing with remaining soy sauce mixture often and turning once, until meat is no longer pink and juices run clear.

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.

CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium container, combine ice water and 2 tablespoons salt; add chicken. Be sure water completely covers chicken. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Place buttermilk in a medium airtight container. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat in liquid. Cover, and refrigerate at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• Swirl Tabasco into buttermilk mixture. Transfer chicken to a wire rack to drain.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Set aside. Place flour, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper in a large, shallow dish. Mix to combine. Lightly coat chicken in flour mixture. Tap to remove excess. Transfer to prepared baking sheet.
• Heat vegetable shortening in a deep 12-inch pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Use tongs to place chicken pieces in oil. Fry until deep mahogany color is achieved, about 18 minutes, turning every 7 to 8 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into a thigh should register 170 degrees. Transfer to a wire rack to drain. Season with salt.

MAHOGANY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove giblets and neck from chicken; refrigerate for use another day. Rinse chicken and drain well.
• With chicken breast-side up, lift wings up toward neck, then fold them under back of chicken so they stay in place. With string, tie legs together.
• Place chicken, breast-side up, on rack in small roasting pan; rub with salt and pepper. Insert meat thermometer into thickest part of thigh, next to body, being careful that pointed end of thermometer does not touch bone.
• Roast chicken 45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare glaze: In small bowl, stir brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and vermouth until sugar dissolves.
• After chicken has roasted 45 minutes, brush with some glaze. Turn oven control to 400 degrees F and roast chicken 30 minutes longer, brushing with glaze twice more during roasting, until chicken is a deep brown color, thermometer reaches 180 degrees F, and juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced with tip of knife. Place chicken on warm large platter; let stand 15 minutes for easier carving.
• Meanwhile, add 1/4 cup water to roasting pan; over medium heat, heat to boiling, stirring to loosen brown bits. Remove pan from heat; skim and discard fat. Serve chicken with pan juices. Garnish with fresh herbs.

MAHOGANY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Dry chicken thoroughly with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in large nontstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook chicken, skin side down (thighs will fit into pan snugly), until skin is deep brown and crisp, (15 to 20 minutes). Chicken should be moderately brown after 10 minutes. If too browned, reduce heat; if pale, increse heat. Turn chicken over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until second side is brown and meat is thoroughly cooked, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, sugar, mirin, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch together in small bow.
• Transfer chicken to plate and pour off fat. Add soy mixture to skillet and return to medium heat. Return chicken to skillet, turn to coat with sauce, and simmer, skin side up, until sauce is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer chicken to serving platter and sprinkle with scallions. Pour remaining sauce into small bowl and pass separately.