Fried Chicken
Kentucky Style (KFC)
6 portions
45mKFC uses pressure fryers to cook their chicken. The pressure fryer speeds up cooking and gives the crust a softer texture. But pressure frying is not practical for a home cook. Frying on a stovetop takes a little longer, but I actually prefer the texture. Also, it's said that the KFC spice combo is a secret. However, there are plenty of examples online that achieve a very good approximation.
What you will need
1 whole chicken
1 egg
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
DREDGE
2 cups (250 g) ap flour
3 Tbsp (21 g) ground white pepper
1 Tbsp (7 g) ground black pepper
1 Tbsp (6 g) mustard powder
1 Tbsp (5 g) ground ginger
1 tsp (8 g) himalayan chili powder
2 Tbsp (30 g) garlic salt
1/2 Tbsp (7 g) salt
1/2 Tbsp (1 g) dried thyme
1/2 Tbsp (1 g) dried basil
1/2 Tbsp (1 g) dried oregano
GARNISH
1/4 bunch parsley
1/2 bunch sage
2 lemons
(Nutritional facts 153 calories, 3.83 g fat, 24.02 g carbohydrates, 6.7 g protein, 45 mg cholesterol, 765 mg sodium)How to cook
1
BUTCHER THE CHICKEN
1
Slice between the thigh and breast, then down the back along the spine.
2
Slice along the back to peel the leg away from the back bone. Cut through the hip joint and peel as you slice to finish separating the thigh from the back. Repeat on the opposite leg.
3
Feel around the collar for the wishbone. Cut away until you can pinch your fingers around the bone and gently pull it out.
4
Slice along the breast bone until the breast is held only at the point where the wing joins the shoulder.
5
Fold the breast back to expose the shoulder joint so you can cut through it.
6
Slice through the elbow to remove the wing from the breast. I like to keep the drummie on the breast for fried chicken. This is known as an 'airline' chicken breast.
7
Slice through the knee to separate the thigh from the drumstick. Whenever you cut through a joint, it's helpful to feel around for the point where the bones meet to determine where to cut.
MARINATE
1
Crack the egg in a bowl and whisk in the buttermilk to make the chicken undercoat/marinade.
2
Add the chicken. Toss to coat. Tuck it away in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
3
Toss the flour and all of the spices in a mixing bowl and stir.
FRY
1
One by one, take a piece of chicken, coat it well in dredge, until no wet spots are visible. You can even squeeze the coating tight to the chicken to help it stay strong through frying.
2
Heat some oil in a thick pot to around 350ºF. You only need about an inch of oil in the pot really. Fry your chicken. Be aware that, as you add chicken, the temp will drop. Turn up the heat to compensate.
3
Try to keep the temperature around 350ºF as much as possible. If it drops too low, your crust will be soggy. If it's too high, it will burn.
4
5
When the chicken is done cooking, pick some herbs and carefully add them to the hot oil. They will probably sputter a lot. Fry the herbs for about 30 seconds, just until translucent, then remove and drain.
6
Serve with fried herbs and lemon slices.
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