In five years with this blog, I don’t think I have EVER fried anything. But these chicken breast on sale were just screaming to be fried. I’m not sure how dead chicken breast can scream, but they can. So without further ado – here is one pansy who never EVER fries anything. And lived to tell the tale. So you can too.
This is better than KFC guys!! And cheaper. And healthier. Faster? Well by the time you get into your car, drive over to KFC, pay your bill and drive home you could have some nice juicy chicken at home.
Have a lot of chicken and can’t eat it all? Well I will eat it! Oh well… or you could freeze it. Then just reheat in an oven for a quick and easy meal. You don’t want to microwave it unless you want soggy fried chicken and… what’s the point of that? Or cold. I love it cold too.
Here are just some quick tips for non-greasy and yummy chicken:
- Use a Dutch oven. You can use a 12″ cast iron skillet. It just splatters more. I had almost no splatter with my Dutch oven.
- Olive oil is healthy-er and that is what I used. You could use any oil you like. Traditional fried chicken in the south is fried in Crisco. But I had olive oil and did just fine.
- For non-greasy chicken, pull it when it is done. Don’t let it sit in the oil past that.
- How you put the cooked chicken down is important! I put a cookie sheet covered in paper towels on my counter. Cover that with a wire rack. Put the cooked chicken on the wire rack. This way the bottom won’t get soggy. This is what you see at KFC as well -a wire rack to hold the chicken.
- I didn’t marinade my chicken. Nope. No buttermilk no nothing. Because well … I’m lazy and forgot! I’m sure it is tasty and we could do a taste test on marinaded and non-marinaded.
- Yup just 5 tips
- 1 cup whole wheat or AP flour
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika or smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (omit if you don't like spicy!!)
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup olive oil (extra virgin if you have it)
- about 3 pounds chicken breast (4 large chicken breast)
- Mix together in a shallow bowl: flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne. Add some black pepper if that floats your boat.
- In another shallow dish, whisk together the eggs.
- Put a large Dutch oven on the stove or 12" cast iron skillet and fill ½" high with olive oil. Heat on medium heat.
- If your chicken breasts are thick - like 1" or more at the large end, take a knife and slice them in half horizontal to create two thinner chicken breast. You want them about ½" thick.
- Now have your assembly line going: first chicken, then flour, then egg mixture, then plate.
- Dredge chicken in the flour, then egg, then back in the flour mixture again. Set on the plate. Repeat until all the chicken are ready to go.
- Using tongs, add the chicken breast into the oil one layer at a time. Mine could hold 2-3 pieces at once. Cook 5 minutes. Flip. Cook another 5 minutes.
- Set the chicken down on a wire rack over a cookie sheet and/or paper towels. Repeat with all the chicken. If you are worried about them getting too cold, then place into an oven at 170 degrees to keep warm.
- Serve warm with your favorite fixings. Mine are mashed potatoes, coleslaw and green beans.
