The Kitchenshrink recently got an e-mail from Sandi who asked for help making fried chicken. She said,”the crust either separates from the chicken or comes off in the pan.” Although she used the traditional three ingredient coating method, there are a few changes in technique that may help. First of all make sure the chicken pieces are dry, coat them with flour (I like to use Wondra instantized flour) or cornstarch and shake off any excess. Then dip them in beaten egg or buttermilk, or a combination of the two, and finally coat them with bread crumbs, panko, cornmeal, or cereal crumbs. Pat them firmly and set them aside at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes for the layers to bond. Heat the oil or fat until hot before adding the chicken and don’t try to turn the chicken until the bottom is the shade of golden you want. Gently loosen the pieces with a wide spatula and transfer them to a plate. Heat more oil or fat in the pan until hot and add the chicken pieces, uncooked side down; cook over medium-low heat without turning until brown on the other side and fully cooked inside.
thanks for the tip. I always dip, dip and place. Meaning it’s all quickly done before frying and it falls off. Still good scraps but rather have it on the chicken. Letting it sit is what i’ll try.
Need a wet batter recipe for frying fish.
Joan,
Here you go:
Batter for Frying
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (4 ounces) all-purpose flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus extra for sprinkling
¾ cup chilled lager
peanut or vegetable oil for deep frying
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Transfer 1/3 cup of the mixture to another medium bowl. Add the beer to the first bowl, whisking, until the mixture is somewhat smooth with a few small lumps.
In a large deep saucepan, heat 3 inches of the oil to 375 F. Working in several batches, coat whatever item you are frying in the flour mixture. Transfer to a strainer to shake off the excess and coat the item with the beer batter, letting the excess drip off. Carefully add the item to the oil and cook it, turning often with a slotted spoon until it is golden, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and sprinkle with salt. Repeat the procedure with the remaining item, flour mixture and batter.