# The first recipe from the Convention of AAAC Chefs!



## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

Fried Chicken!

I took the fried chicken recipe suggestions from this post:

https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=71207

And added some tips from other recipes and came up with this:

*Brine:*

¼ cup salt to 8 cups water (You can skip the brine step if you want.)

*From StevenRocks* First you soak your chicken pieces in a bowl of water with a little bit of salt, baking soda and sugar. The amount varies depending on how much chicken you're making, but is at least a half-teaspoon of each. (The salt draws out some of the excess blood, the baking powder tenderizes the meat a bit, and the sugar sweetens it somewhat. You can leave out the last two if desired, but the salt is essential.) Soak for at least 30 minutes.​I forgot the baking soda, but think the sugar is a great addition for brine. I used some garlic salt in addition to sea salt for this. Most recipes suggest soaking the chicken in the brine for 8 to 12 hours!

After the Brine soak the chicken in buttermilk for another 8 to 12 hours! The buttermilk mixture can also contain Tabasco and salt.

Then mix some seasoned flour:

Flour, salt and pepper. Options: 1 tablespoon baking powder to 1.5 cups of flour (*Martha Stewart*), some recipes call for an addition of cornstarch, and fresh herbs (parsley, oregano and/or thyme) and cayenne pepper

Take chicken pieces from buttermilk marinade and dredge in seasoned flour (you can shake in a paper bag or plastic bag.

*From StevenRocks* Pat dry your chicken and dredge it in seasoned flour. (I use a local variety (Big Spring Mill of Elliston, Va.) but is much more widely available and will create the desired flavor. Alternatively, you can make your own seasoned flour, but it's a bit trickier. It's not something you can do correctly the first time unless you're really good with flavoring.)​
Let your chicken rest for at least 20 minutes while you heat your oil. It can rest either at room temperature or in the fridge. After about 10 minutes, you can put a second coat of flour on to produce a thicker, crispier crust, but it's personal preference on this.​
A word on oils: I use Crisco or Wesson, but just about any kind of oil will fry chicken. I don't tend to use olive oil, coconut oil or peanut oil because they have low smoke points, but any conventional oil is fair game.​
Make sure you have a pot of sufficient depth so that the chicken will be completely immersed in oil without splattering. (Some people prefer shallow frying, but I use deep frying, preferably in a heavy-bottomed pot with at least a couple of inches of oil inside. You can use a deep fryer instead, but make sure it has a temperature control. Fry Daddies (which have no temperature control) don't work well with chicken.)​
Heat your oil to 350 degrees (use a candy thermometer to gauge the heat) and immerse your chicken into the hot oil. Breasts with bones and thighs tend to take longer to cook, so put them in first. Do not crowd your pan with chicken. Give each piece space to fry.​
Turn your chicken at last once while frying. Wait about 5 minutes before you do.​
Most chicken will fry to perfection in 10 to 20 minutes. It's done when clear juices run from the pieces. drain on absorbent paper or a rack and let it sit for at least 3-4 minutes.​
*Additional tip From Forsbergacct2000* My mother uses a half fry/ half bake method with great results. She uses a procedure close to Steven's (although she uses seasoned bread crumbs.)​She leaves the chicken in the oil long enough to brown, and then transfers it to the oven to complete the cooking process.​I used two boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into finger like pieces. They didn't turn out like Colonel Saunders Kentucky Fried chicken (not as crisp or dark brown) but the chicken was perfectly tender, and juicy (Brining plus the buttermilk?)


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## StevenRocks (May 24, 2005)

That is truly flattering. Thanks for adding the fried chicken recipe to the list, Andy!


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## Andy (Aug 25, 2002)

StevenRocks:

We'll all be over to your house for Sunday dinner (all 13,321 of us) if that's OK! :icon_smile:


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## The Gabba Goul (Feb 11, 2005)

Andy said:


> StevenRocks:
> 
> We'll all be over to your house for Sunday dinner (all 13,321 of us) if that's OK! :icon_smile:


I Call The Wings!!!


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