Its Not KFC Its Better Fried Chicken
- Replies 2
My family love this Chicken. Be patient and follow each step and I promise it will be worth it.
It looks like a long recipe but it actually isnt
I have also added Notes at the bottom
Small pieces for thighs and breast is better- 200g or less, to ensure they cook through so you don't need to worry about fuss with finishing them in the oven. I've cooked 220g bone in thighs with no problems. If they get to 250g then you either need to take them to very deep golden in the oil OR finish in oven.
2. Buttermilk- make your own if you can't find any. Add 1 tsp white vinegar into milk, stir, leave 10 minutes. Will curdle. Use per recipe.
3. Keeping chicken warm- this is the temp at which chicken will stay warm, keep the coating crispy but will not continue to cook the chicken inside. Rack required to ensure underside of chicken stays super crispy.
4. Frying vessel - I feel safe using a heavy cast iron pot. For most oil efficiency, use a wok - shape means you will use about 30% less oil with same surface area for frying. If you have a deep fryer then use that as well.
5.Cooking order - thighs and drumsticks cook in the same time, cook together first. Then wings, then do breast last. Reason: dark meat stays juicier in warmed oven, and breast cooks faster.
6. Batch cooking - don't coat all chicken then leave it lying around while you cook a batch, it will sweat and crust will be compromised.
7. Breading mixture notes:
It looks like a long recipe but it actually isnt
I have also added Notes at the bottom
Ingredients
CupsMetric- 1.8 kg bone in, skin on small thighs , 200g, drumsticks, whole wings, breast 200g
- Note: if you want just breast or thigh ect
BUTTERMILK MARINADE:
- 1 cup buttermilk ( see note 2)
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 egg
FRIED CHICKEN BREADING
- 2 1/4 cups flour , plain
- 3/4 cup corn flour
KFC 11 SECRET HERBS AND SPICES (NOTE 9):
- 3 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp celery salt
- 1.5 tbsp black pepper (Note 2)
- 1.5 tsp sweet paprika (ie. not hot or smoked)
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper , optional
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp mustard powder
- 3/4 tsp ginger powder
- 1.5 tsp dried thyme
- 1.5 tsp dried oregano
TO FRY:
- 1.5 - 2 litres vegetable oil ...Note : I never use canola oil
Instructions
BUTTERMILK MARINADE CHICKEN:
- Mix Marinade in a bowl until salt dissolves.
- Pour over chicken in ziplock bag, massage to coat chicken. Press out excess air, seal, refrigerate 12 to 24 hours, turning once or twice.
- Pour chicken and marinade into large bowl.
BREADING MIXTURE:
- Whisk together Breading and all KFC Secret Herbs & Spices.
- Drizzle 4.5 tablespoons of Marinade into flour mixture. Use fingers to rub in so you get lots of pea sized lumpy bits all throughout (this creates extra super crunchy craggy bits).
- Spread out in a shallow dish or pan (easier to work with).
PREPARE TO COOK (WORK IN SPECIFIED ORDER OF STEPS):
- Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F and place rack on tray - to keep chicken warm.
- Add oil to a pot
- Heat oil over medium to medium high heat to 180°C/350°F - maintain temp as best you can
BREADING:
- Cooking order: Start with thighs and drumsticks, wings next and cook breast last.
- Squidge a piece of chicken in remaining marinade, place in flour.
- Coat well, pressing very firmly to adhere. Transfer to plate.
- Coat 2 or 3 more pieces - just for one cooking batch don't over crowd pan
FRYING:
- Carefully place chicken in oil - it will bubble energetically but it will not spit.
- DO NOT TOUCH chicken for 2 minutes - to let the crust bond with the chicken skin. After this, you can move them around but oil should be deep enough that you do not need to flip (but you can if you want!).
- Thighs and drumsticks - cook for 8 minutes (wings for 5 minutes), or until deep golden brown
- Breast - fry for 6 minutes or until golden
- Place onto rack and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining chicken, coating each batch just prior to cooking.
- Serve immediately
Recipe Notes:
1. Chicken- I buy bone in thighs, drumsticks and wings for ease.Small pieces for thighs and breast is better- 200g or less, to ensure they cook through so you don't need to worry about fuss with finishing them in the oven. I've cooked 220g bone in thighs with no problems. If they get to 250g then you either need to take them to very deep golden in the oil OR finish in oven.
2. Buttermilk- make your own if you can't find any. Add 1 tsp white vinegar into milk, stir, leave 10 minutes. Will curdle. Use per recipe.
3. Keeping chicken warm- this is the temp at which chicken will stay warm, keep the coating crispy but will not continue to cook the chicken inside. Rack required to ensure underside of chicken stays super crispy.
4. Frying vessel - I feel safe using a heavy cast iron pot. For most oil efficiency, use a wok - shape means you will use about 30% less oil with same surface area for frying. If you have a deep fryer then use that as well.
5.Cooking order - thighs and drumsticks cook in the same time, cook together first. Then wings, then do breast last. Reason: dark meat stays juicier in warmed oven, and breast cooks faster.
6. Batch cooking - don't coat all chicken then leave it lying around while you cook a batch, it will sweat and crust will be compromised.
7. Breading mixture notes:
- Might seem like a lot of pepper, but it's key to KFC flavour and doesn't make it spicy. Remember that not much of the seasoning actually ends up on each piece of chicken.
- Hot & Spicy version - just add 2 tsp cayenne pepper into the breading! That will give it a nice buzz (but won't blow your head off)
- There is more breading coating flour than you need, so you'll throw out 1 cup or so. As wasteful as it sounds, I've tried using less and it gets messy/hard with the last pieces. So I conceded and upped the breading quantity - because this recipe is all about the crust
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