The Definitive Fried Chicken Thread.

[Cuban]

I'm sure many people share the enjoyment of eating fried chicken, judging by the success of KFC and spreading waistlines, fried chicken turns what is IMHO bland meat into something that can be an addictive food. The flavor is in the fat and the pleasure within the crunch, a great combination: who hasn't enjoyed eating the coating more than the flesh it contains. I know of two expat friends that died here partly as a result of a dedication to eating deep fried bits of Thai chickens. The one that often ate deep-fried chicken skin being the worst offender, going far beyond the delicate medical term "extremely morbidly obese".

During a few weeks of experimentation late last year that resulted in this thread, my wife said I was putting on weight so I no longer experiment more than once every two weeks, and portion sizes are smaller. Getting the perfect BBQ glaze for "drug chicken" being on my list for healthier 2010 food.

I would really like to hear other's thoughts on this subject. Having read many of the Google results when doing searches they focus on the meat, or seem uninspired takes on a KFC based coating of flour seasoned with salt along with black & white peppers.

My current standard version is as follows:

Triple Spiced Fried Chicken.

I've found that although I really like the dark meat when slowly roasted or in a stew, when deep-fried, breast meat cooks quickly and does not carry any tendons or joint protecting cartilage. Cut across the breast into 1cm strips gives maximum surface area for that crunch factor, alas also carrying the calorie laden fat payload. I remove the skin, as it does not cook properly when fried like this, the dogs get to eat it later.

To achieve the desired breadcrumb crunch, I coat the chicken in the first layer of spices, which is my chilli sauce. This ensures that in the next step, coating in plain tapioca flour/starch, that the flour sticks firmly to the flesh.

Then dip in either a whole beaten egg with some of the chilli sauce or just the white of the egg whipped until firm, again with chilli sauce folded in.

For the breadcrumb layer, a mixture of tapioca starch and wheat flour seems to produce the best color, crunch and taste. Using the same chilli sauce rubbed into the flour with white pepper and the yolk of an egg or two, if not used before, to achieve the final coating.

Semi deep-fried for a few minutes served with typical sticky rice. This even gets one of my nieces into the kitchen cooking with me, she is getting quite good at making breadcrumbs now.

The chilli sauce is a long ongoing recipe-project, similar to something like Quaker thousand year old bread, to a bottle is added finely chopped red chillies, palm sugar, vinegar, oyster sauce, salt. Kept in the fridge, it's topped up every so often and will receive left over chilli sauces as well if there's room. Originally it was a dipping sauce but now it's mainly an ingredient for other dishes.

[NADTATIDA1]

The chilli sauce is a long ongoing recipe-project, similar to something like Quaker thousand year old bread, to a bottle is added finely chopped red chillies, palm sugar, vinegar, oyster sauce, salt. Kept in the fridge, it's topped up every so often and will receive left over chilli sauces as well if there's room. Originally it was a dipping sauce but now it's mainly an ingredient for other dishes

I have exactly the same in my fridge!

Always handy for spicing up everything.

The local night market here has a chap that does his own version of kfc and personally i think his is a better coating 6 crispy coated legs for 30 baht and he always gives me the best ones!!

Have also tried the breaded chicken bones in the village they do....tasty,very lemon grassy,but just no meat so not a very satisfying meal...ok for a nibble though at 5 baht!

Edited January 15, 2010 by NADTATIDA1

[sbk]

There was a man who sold the best fried chicken ever here on Koh Phangan years ago. Not sure what his secret was but he definitely had ground peppercorns in there. His chicken was never greasy, nor dry. It had a nice spice to it, and a good crunch. Alas, he married a mainlander and moved off island.

[ozzieovaseas]

Ive noticed a favourite vendor in a small market refrying pieces in the wok many times before putting on the rack for sale and at times also seen him taking older pieces off of the rack and giving them another dipping for good measure

Dont know if this its standard practice or whether he gets bored or just wants to give his wares that special added touch..Id imagine he'd use a cheap brand of palm oil and get a good few days out of the oil

Must be near on instant heart attack material, but when following the thai way (you not think to mutt) very VERY aroy muk muk

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

One of the keys to traditional southern fried chicken was a short marinade in buttermilk, prior to battering up the chicken (some cayenne pepper doesn't hurt either). I prefer batter to cornflake/bread crumb/panko type coatings.

However, my favorite fried chicken is Korean fried chicken, which I first encountered about 30 years ago in Hawaii and uses kim chi seasoning in its batter. Chicken Alice closed quite some time ago, but its owner published the recipe for Korean fried chicken when she traded in the restaurant for a gogo.

Here's her famous recipe:

Chicken Alice's Wings

* 5 pounds chicken wings

* Vegetable oil for deep frying (Wesson brand preferred)

* Batter:

o 1/3 cup Parks brand kim chee sauce

o 1 tablespoon minced garlic

o 2 tablespoons salt

o 2-1/2 cups flour

o 2 cups water, or more, as needed

Rinse and dry chicken. Cut off and discard wing tips. Cut through joint to separate drummettes from other half of wing.

To make batter: Combine kim chee sauce, garlic, salt and flour. Add water gradually, enough to make a thick batter, about the consistency of pancake batter.

Add chicken pieces to batter, mix well and marinate in refrigerator 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oil to 350 degrees. Deep-fry chicken pieces about 10 minutes, until chicken rises to surface and coating is deep brown.

[NADTATIDA1]

I want some fried chicken now,that looks fantastic.I may have to try that recipe!