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You are here: Home / How to / How To Fry Chicken In A Deep Fryer

How To Fry Chicken In A Deep Fryer

So you want to make some KFC at home for your family, well here’s a recipe that is

  1. Easy to make,
  2. Easy to cook,
  3. Something the whole family will enjoy.

HOW TO FRY CHICKEN IN A DEEP FRYER

This is the simplest fried chicken on the internet and I can vouch that it is sooooo tasty you’ll be making it a lot, though it may not be the healthiest meal it is still cheaper than that bucket of chicken from KFC, AND you have the privilege of telling you friends and family that YOU made your own fried chicken in a deep fryer and it was delicious.

Table of Contents

Toggle
  • Ingredients:
  • Directions:
  • How Long To Deep Fry Chicken in a Deep Fryer
  • 7 Fried Chicken Common Mistakes
    • 1. Skipping the Brine
    • 2. Going Low-Carb and Skipping the Breading
    • 3. Only Using the Drumsticks
    • 4. Frying Fridge-Cold Chicken
    • 5. Using Oil with a Low Smoke point
    • 6. Eyeballing the Temperature
    • 7. Letting the Chicken Cool on Paper Towels
  • FAQ
    • How can you determine when deep-fried chicken is finished?
    • How long does deep-fried chicken take to cook?
    • How hot should you fry chicken?
    • What are the signs when chicken is done?
    • How long does deep frying a chicken breast take?

Ingredients:

  • 4lb chicken, cut into equal-sized pieces (this will help it cook evenly)
  • 1 Cup of buttermilk (I personally prefer Avonmore’s buttermilk)
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour for the chicken coating
  • 1 Teaspoon of paprika (optional but I highly recommend it, as it adds a lot more flavor to the chicken)
  • Salt and pepper to season the mixture as well as the chicken itself.
  • 2 quarts of vegetable oil for the frying. (2 quarts = 8 cups)

Directions:

  1. Take the cut-up chicken pieces (which should be equal sizes) and if you like you can skin them. Put the all-purpose flour in a large plastic bag (like a zip lock bag or otherwise known as a sandwich bag). Let the amount of chicken you are using dictate the amount of flour you use. Season the flour with salt and pepper to your liking, and optional paprika. The paprika also helps brown the chicken to make it look even tastier.
  1. Dip your pieces of chicken in your preferred brand of buttermilk (a few pieces at a time) then put them in the bag with the flour mixture and seal the bag. Shake it furiously to get every piece of chicken coated well. Place the pieces of coated chicken on a cookie sheet or a baking tray and cover them with a clean dish towel or waxed paper(the waxed paper helps keeps the bugs from nibbling on your tasty chicken). Let it sit until the flour is of a paste-like consistency! This is crucial!!!!
  1. Fill a large skillet/pot (cast iron is the best material for this) about 1/3 to ½ full with the vegetable oil. Read What is The Healthiest Oil For Deep Frying? Heat until the oil is VERY HOT. Put in as many tasty chicken pieces as the pot can hold but don’t overload as this will cause the temperature to drop. (Try and put the most equal-sized ones in first, it’ll make it a lot easier.)Brown the chicken pieces in the hot oil on BOTH sides, not just one. When browned, reduce the heat and cover the skillet, and let it cook for around 30 minutes (the chicken will be cooked evenly now but not crispy yet). Remove the cover, raise the heat again and then keep frying the browned chicken until nice and crispy.
  1. Once finished, drain the tasty-looking chicken on paper towels (I know it might be tempting to eat now, but trust me… waiting is better). Depending on how many chicken pieces you have, you may need to cook It in batches. Keep the finished chicken in a slightly warm oven (a warming tray would be best for this) while preparing the rest of the chicken.

How Long To Deep Fry Chicken in a Deep Fryer

Heat oil in deep-fryer to 350 degrees F

Chicken Legs or Thighs12 to 17 minutes
Chicken Drumsticks12 to 15 minutes
Chicken wings or wingettes8 to 12 minutes
Chicken Tenders6 to 8 minutes
Whole Chickens4 to 5 minutes per pound

7 Fried Chicken Common Mistakes

1. Skipping the Brine

Brining is one method used by many home chefs to combat dryness. The procedure, which involves soaking the turkey in a saline solution before cooking it, aids the chicken in absorbing more moisture, resulting in luscious, moist black and white flesh. Possibly the most crucial aspect of bringing is preparation.

2. Going Low-Carb and Skipping the Breading

Pork rinds are frequently recommended as a fantastic low-carb “breading” for chicken or fish, zucchini strips, or mushrooms in low-carb recipe collections. According to the USDA, pig rinds are merely pieces of hog fat that are often fried in lard and salted. They contain no carbohydrates.

3. Only Using the Drumsticks

Drumsticks give the best flavor and taste that other parts of an animal cannot give. For example, chicken drumsticks are favorite of almost all, especially children. They are tender and have smooth textures. The chicken drumsticks easily absorb the spices and make a juice, tender, and tasty dish.

4. Frying Fridge-Cold Chicken

For safety reasons, keeping meat and poultry cold before cooking is crucial. However, you may cook your chicken after letting it rest at room temperature for up to 30 minutes. This procedure also guarantees the superb texture and consistent cooking of your chicken.

We advise removing the chicken from the refrigerator about an hour before you intend to begin deep-frying so that it may thaw out. This is necessary because the too-cold chicken will dramatically lower the temperature of your frying oil when it is placed in the pan.

5. Using Oil with a Low Smoke point

The optimum usage for oils with low smoke points, including flaxseed, pumpkin seed, and walnut, is in salad dressings and dips. Some oils are adaptable enough to be used for frying or in salad dressings, such as avocado, grapeseed, olive, and sesame.

6. Eyeballing the Temperature

It’s never a good idea to check your chicken’s doneness by eye. Instead, insert a meat thermometer into the area of the chicken that is thickest to determine when it is finished. The temperature of white meat and dark meat is different.

7. Letting the Chicken Cool on Paper Towels

Fried meals should be drained on wire cooling racks rather than paper towels, which are often used to absorb excess oil from fried items. One guaranteed approach to producing steam and preventing soggy crust syndrome is to let those crispy chicken pieces lay on a wad of paper.

FAQ

How can you determine when deep-fried chicken is finished?

It ought to have a rich golden brown color. Cook the chicken for approximately 15 minutes, turning it over halfway through, or until the chunks are crispy and golden. They are checking for completion Cut through the drumstick’s thickest section. The meat should be completely opaque and the juices should flow clear.

How long does deep-fried chicken take to cook?

It will often take 12 to 18 minutes. The easiest technique to determine whether a chicken is done, especially if you’re a novice, is to check the interior temperature. The safe cooking temperature for chicken thighs is 165 °F. It’s worthwhile to check the temperature by poking a meat thermometer through the crust.

How hot should you fry chicken?

In the skillet, the fat should be approximately an inch deep and extend halfway up the meal. The fat should be quite heated before you add the chicken. 350 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for the fried chicken oil (175 degrees C). Chicken pieces should be gently placed skin-side down in the oil using tongs.

What are the signs when chicken is done?

Simply place your food thermometer into the chicken’s thickest portion (for a whole chicken, that would be the breast). When the thermometer registers 180°F (82°C) for a whole chicken or 165°F (74°C) for chicken parts, the chicken is said to be done.

How long does deep frying a chicken breast take?

At a temperature of 350F/75C, it takes 10-12 minutes to deep fry a medium-sized chicken breast. If the internal temperature of the thickest portion of the chicken is at least 165°F (75°C), it is safe to consume. If not, the chicken should be cooked.

So, what do you think? Sounds very tasty, well what are you still doing here?! Get to making your chicken and thanks for reading the recipe. Make sure to brag about it at work the next day.

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