Crispy Batter-Fried Chicken
- One 2½-to 2¾-pound broiler-fryer, cut up for frying
- 1½ cups buttermilk or milk
- Vegetable oil for deep-fat frying (you’ll need about 6 cups or 1½ quarts)
- 1 cup unsifted all-purpose flour for dredging
- 1½ cups sifted self-rising flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions:
It’s essential that you choose a small chicken for deep-fat frying—about 2½ pounds but definitely no more than 2¾.
- Arrange the pieces of chicken one layer deep in a large, shallow nonreactive bakingpan. Pour the buttermilk evenly over all, then turn the chicken in the buttermilk so it’s evenly coated. Cover with foil and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. After 15 minutes, pour the oil into a deep-fat fryer or large deep kettle, insert a deep-fat thermometer, and set uncovered over moderately high heat; it may take 30 minutes for the oil to reach the proper temperature (360° F.). Place the dredging flour in a pie pan and set aside.
- When the temperature of the oil reaches 325° F., prepare the batter: Whisk the self- rising flour, salt, baking powder, and pepper together in a small bowl and make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Combine the milk, eggs, and oil in a 1-quart spouted measure or second small bowl, whisking until frothy. Pour into the well in the dry ingredients and whisk just until the batter is smooth. The batter will be thick.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and pat dry on paper toweling. Next, roll in the dredging flour, shaking off the excess. Dip each piece of chicken into the batter, letting the excess drain off, then place on a large rack set over foil (to catch the drips). Let the batter-coated chicken stand until the oil reaches 360° F. This standing makes the batter stick to the chicken.
- Preheat the oven to 300° F. Spritz a baking sheet lightly with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- As soon as the oil reaches 360° F., ease in the four largest pieces of chicken—they will sputter wildly and the temperature of the oil will plummet to around 350° F. Fry the chicken for 8 to 10 minutes or until richly browned. Keep raising and lowering the burner heat as needed to maintain the temperature of the oil between 350° F. and 360° F.
- Drain the browned chicken on paper toweling, then transfer to the spritzed baking sheet and set uncovered on the middle oven shelf. This not only keeps the chicken warm but also finishes the cooking, if necessary. (The internal temperature of the chicken should be 170° F. Be careful to insert the quick-read thermometer into the meatiest part of the chicken; it should not touch bone.)
- Deep-fry the remaining chicken in batches the same way, doing the larger pieces first; drain and set in the oven. Even the small last-batch pieces need 1 to 2 minutes in the oven.
- Serve hot with coleslaw, potato salad, and biscuits. Or, if you prefer, serve at room temperature.