Generally, chickens are not fried whole. Instead, the chicken is divided into its constituent pieces. The
white meat sections are the breast and the wings from the front of the chicken, while the
dark meat sections are the thighs and legs or "drumsticks" from the rear of the chicken. The breast is typically split into two pieces, and the back is usually discarded.
Chicken fingers, which are boneless pieces of chicken breast cut into long strips, are also commonly used. To prepare the chicken pieces for frying, they are typically coated in a flour-based batter that may contain eggs or milk, or they may be dredged in flour or
breadcrumbs. Seasonings such as salt,
black pepper,
chili powder,
paprika,
garlic powder, or
onion powder can be mixed in with the flour. Either process may be preceded by
marination or dipping in
buttermilk, the acidity of which acts as a meat tenderizer. As the pieces of chicken cook, some of the moisture that exudes from the chicken is absorbed by the coating of flour and browns along with the flour, creating a flavorful crust. fried chicken,
Atlanta, Georgia Traditionally,
lard is used to fry the chicken, but
corn oil,
peanut oil,
canola oil,
soybean oil, or other
vegetable oils are also frequently used. There are three main techniques for frying chickens:
pan frying,
deep frying and
broasting. Pan frying (or shallow frying) requires a
frying pan of sturdy construction and a source of fat that does not fully immerse the chicken. The chicken pieces are prepared as above, then fried. Generally, the fat is heated to a temperature hot enough to seal (without browning, at this point) the outside of the chicken pieces. Once the pieces have been added to the hot fat and sealed, the temperature is reduced. There is debate as to how often to turn the chicken pieces, with one camp arguing for often turning and even browning, and the other camp pushing for letting the pieces render skin side down and only turning when necessary. Once the chicken pieces are close to being done, the temperature is raised and the pieces are browned to the desired color (some cooks add small amounts of butter at this point to enhance browning). The moisture from the chicken that sticks and browns on the bottom of the pan becomes the fonds required to make gravy. Deep frying requires a
deep fryer or other devices in which the chicken pieces can be completely submerged in hot fat. The process of deep frying is placing food fully in oil and then cooking it at a very high temperature. A
pressure cooker can be used to accelerate the process. The moisture inside the chicken becomes steam and increases the pressure in the cooker, such that lowering the cooking temperature is needed. The steam also cooks the chicken through, but still allows the pieces to be moist and tender while maintaining a crisp coating. Fat is heated in a pressure cooker. Chicken pieces are prepared as described above and then placed in the hot fat. The lid is placed on the pressure cooker, and the chicken pieces are thus fried under pressure. The original recipe used by the KFC franchise used this method, which was marketed as "broasting" by the
Broaster Company. The derivative phrases "country-fried" and "chicken-fried" often refer to other foods prepared in the manner of fried chicken. Usually, this means a boneless, tenderized piece of meat that has been floured or battered and cooked in any of the methods described.
Chicken-fried steak is a common dish of that variety. Such dishes are often served with gravy. ==Variants==