easy fried chicken recipe

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This easy fried chicken recipe yields a crispy and juicy chicken you want to make repeatedly. Its crispy exterior and juicy interior create flavors and textures that are hard to resist. Making a perfect fried chicken can elevate your culinary skills, whether a novice or a seasoned cook. Here's how you can achieve that ideal fried chicken at home.

Course: Main

Cuisine: American

Servings: people

Calories: 8kcal

Author: Shobee

Equipment

1 Instant Pot Duo Crisp 8 quart
3 large bowls
1 large frying pan

Ingredients

12 pieces chicken drumsticks
3 cups canola oil for frying

Fried Chicken Seasoning

1 tbsp Onion powder
1 tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Pepper
2 tbsp Paprika

Brine Ingredients

4 cups water to submerge
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp peppercorns
2 pieces Bay Leaves
1/4 cup Lemon Juice or Vinegar

Fried Chicken Coating

1 cup All-purpose Four
Brine

Instructions

Make the Brine

Add the brine ingredients to the bowl and season to your liking. Add the chicken pieces and ensure that they are entirely submerged. Cover and marinate the chicken overnight.

Pressure cook

I always pressure-cook the chicken pieces ahead of time to eliminate bleeding.
When the chicken is ready, put the chicken in the inner pot and add one-fourth cup of the brine. Set the pot on the Instant Pot base, cover it with the pressure cooker lid, and pressure cook the chicken for nine minutes.
Quickly release the pressure and remove the chicken from the pot. Drain the broth (please see the notes) and let the chicken cool down.

Prepare the Fried Chicken Coating

Prepare two bowls for this coating. Add one cup of flour and chicken seasoning to the large container. Mix.
When done, remove about a fourth cup of the mixture and put it in the other container. Add two tablespoons of the brine mixture to the first bowl and mix using your hands to create those crumbly bits in the first image.
Add one-fourth cup of the brine to make the mixturemixturepn the second bowl, as shown in the picture. Make this mixture thicker, so that the coating will stick.

Coat the Chicken

When the chicken pieces are cooled down, roll them into the liquid mixture first, then into the crumbly flour. Do the same to the rest of the chicken pieces.

Frying Process

Heat your oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet or deep fryer to 350°F (175°C). Carefully add the chicken pieces, ensuring that the pan is not overcrowded. Fry in batches if necessary.
Once cooked, remove the chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack or paper towel to drain excess oil. Let the chicken rest briefly before serving to lock in juices.

Video

Notes

You may have noticed that I used the brine from the chicken. If you have concerns about using that, you can use the cooked chicken's juices or you can use tap water.

Nutrition