Description
This recipe for Batter-Fried Chicken delivers easy, extra-crispy bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces with a perfectly seasoned batter. The chicken is first brined to ensure juiciness, then coated in a light, crispy batter made from all-purpose flour and cornstarch that fries up golden brown and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Fried Chicken Brine
- 1 quart cold water
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (halve each chicken breast crosswise and separate leg quarters into thighs and drumsticks)
For the Fried Chicken Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups cold water
- 3 quarts vegetable oil or peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- Make the chicken brine: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 quart cold water, 1/4 cup kosher salt, and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until dissolved. Add chicken pieces, cover, and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
- Prepare the fried chicken batter: In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 5 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Pour in 1 3/4 cups cold water and whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while chicken brines.
- Heat the oil: Heat 3 quarts vegetable oil in a deep pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (176°C). Place a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet to drain fried chicken.
- Prepare chicken for frying: Discard the brine and pat chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels. Whisk the batter to recombine and thin with cold water if needed to reach pancake batter consistency.
- Coat the chicken in batter: Dip half of the chicken pieces into the batter, turning to coat fully. Allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl.
- Fry the chicken: Carefully slip coated chicken into the oil. Maintain the oil temperature between 300°F and 325°F (149°C and 163°C) by adjusting heat as needed. Fry for 12 to 25 minutes until chicken is deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for white meat and 175°F (79°C) for dark meat.
- Drain the chicken: Transfer fried chicken to the wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Repeat frying: Bring oil back to 350°F (176°C) and fry remaining chicken pieces in batches, repeating the process.
- Serve: Serve the fried chicken hot, warm, room temperature, or cold if there are leftovers.
Notes
- If batter thickens after resting, whisk in cold water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches pancake batter consistency.
- Pat chicken completely dry after brining for the batter to stick properly.
- Do not substitute the flour and cornstarch ratio; it is essential for a light, crispy crust.
- Do not overcrowd the pan to prevent chicken pieces from sticking together.
- Allow oil temperature to return to 350°F between batches for crispy coating.
- This recipe is dairy-free; for gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 25 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg
