Three Common Fried Chicken Pitfalls
Don’t let these common pitfalls stand between you and a batch of perfectly fried chicken.
Don’t let these common pitfalls stand between you and a batch of perfectly fried chicken.
GREASY FRIED CHICKEN: Blame it on cold oil. Don’t forget to monitor the oil temperature, and adjust the burner accordingly as you fry. When you add cold chicken to hot oil, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what happens: The oil temperature drops. Also, no crowding: Lots of cold chicken just exacerbates the problem.
UNDERCOOKED FRIED CHICKEN: Blame it on scorching hot oil and/or unevenly sized pieces. If you fry chicken parts straight from the package, the big ones, say the breasts, don’t have time to cook through by the time the legs are done: Cut pieces down to size. Also, don’t overheat the oil. Scorching oil causes the same problem.
BLOTCHY FRIED CHICKEN: Blame it on lack of patience. If you fry the chicken immediately after dredging, the coating tends to peel off. While the oil heats, let the dredged chicken rest on a wire cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. The resting time helps the coating stick. You can’t call it fried chicken without the crispy skin.
