Perfect Southern Fried Chicken Recipes

THE "PERFECT" SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Dissolve salt and water in a large bowl; add the chicken. Cover; refrigerate 3-4 hours. Pour off the brine; rinse the chicken well under running water in the bowl. Drain. Add buttermilk and hot sauce to chicken. Cover bowl; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8.
• Combine the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in another large bowl or food storage bag; drain the chicken pieces. Add 2 or 3 pieces of chicken to the bag; seal. Shake to coat chicken. Remove chicken to a rack; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Heat the oven to 300°. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to a depth of 1/2 to 3/4-inch; stir in the bacon drippings. Heat oil to 350°, or until a drop of water spatters when it hits the hot oil. Add the drumsticks, wings and thighs, skin side down (the oil should come about halfway up the sides of the pieces of chicken). Cover; cook until tiny bubbles begin to appear in the crust on the side facing up, about 10 minutes. Turn; cook 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is golden brown, 5-10 minutes. Remove drumsticks and thighs from skillet to a rack placed over a cookie sheet; place in oven.
• Raise heat under skillet to medium-high. Heat oil to 350°; add the breasts, skin side down. Cook until tiny bubbles begin to appear in the crust on the side facing up, about 10 minutes. Turn; cover. Cook 10 minutes; uncover the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low; cook until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.
• Preparation time includes brining.

PERFECT SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Soak chicken in water and salt at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Mix buttermilk, eggs and Season All and dip chicken pieces in this mixture.
• Combine 1 cup flour, 2 tbsp corn meal, 2 tsp dried oregano, and 2 tsp Season All in a bag.
• Drop two pieces of dipped chicken in the bag at one time.
• Shake to coat.
• Place on wire rack to rest.
• (I place wax paper under the rack to catch any flour that falls off.) Heat a shallow layer of oil or shortening to 360 F in a jumbo chicken skillet (cast iron is great for this job) or an electric skillet.
• Place the chicken in the pan, trying not to crowd the pieces.
• Cover for the first five minutes.
• Check the chicken.
• When golden brown, turn.
• Cover for the next five minutes.
• Remove cover and cook uncovered, turning occasionally, as needed for a total of an additional 20 minutes or until cooked through.
• Watch carefully, and don't allow it to get too dark.
• If it's frying too fast, reduce heat slightly.
• NOTE- the key is to cover in the beginning to start the cooking process inside the chicken, but to uncover during the last part of the cooking time to get the outside nice and crispy and golden brown.

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.

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).