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Southern Fried Chicken

Author: GalleyPirate

Ingredients

  • 2 Cut up fryer chickens (or 1 cut up chicken plus 6 extra legs if you're a dark meat person)
  • 1 quart Buttermilk
  • 5 cups Flour
  • 4 tbsp Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning or similar seasoning
  • 3 tsp Fresh ground bbl back pepper
  • 3 tsp Dried thyme
  • 1 tsp Cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • Canola oil for frying (about 1/2 gallon)

Instructions

  • Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and place in a large ziplock bag. Pour 1 quart of buttermilk into the bag. Zip tight and maybe double bag. Place in the icebox for 6-24 hours. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and let rest about 30 minutes before frying.
  • Preheat your oven to 350º.
  • Pour the Canola oil into In a large covered fry pan to about 3" deep. Set over a medium high burner. You'll want to start frying when the oil has reached about 350º in heat.* The easiest way to test that temperature is to place a couple kernels of popcorn into the oil. When the popcorn has popped the temperature has reach about 350º.
  • Meanwhile mix the dry ingredients in your largest bowl. Add the milk and mix well. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
  • Drain the chicken from the buttermilk in a colander. Start pressing the chicken pieces into the flour mixture, pushing large bits of flour onto the chicken, creating soon-to-be "crunchies", the best part of fried chicken.
  • Once the popcorn has popped and the oil is sufficiently hot, gently place the chicken into the hot oil with metal tongs. Do not over crowd. You may end up frying only 4 pieces at a time.
  • Fry for 5-8 minutes, then gently turn the chicken to fry the other side. The hardest part about frying chicken is to not knock off all the breading. So don't turn them frequently, just as needed and be gentle with the tongs. Fry for another 5 minutes then place each piece of chicken on a platter, ready for the oven.
  • Repeat this until all of the chicken has been fried, then place all chicken on a roasting pan and pop in your oven to finish cooking. Let the chicken roast for another 10 minutes. Pull out and serve hot.

Notes