Batter-Fried Chicken
Ingredients
For the brine
1 quart cold water
1⁄4 cup salt
1⁄4 cup sugar
6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half crosswise (You can also use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces.)
For the batter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
5 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 3⁄4 cups cold water
3 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
Instructions
1. Whisk water, salt, and sugar in large bowl until sugar and salt dissolve. Add chicken and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
2. Whisk flour, cornstarch, pepper, paprika, cayenne, baking powder, salt, and water in large bowl until smooth. Refrigerate batter while chicken is brining.
3. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350*F. Remove chicken from refrigerator, pour off brine, and pat dry with paper towels. Rewhisk batter. Transfer 3-4 pieces of chicken to batter. One piece at a time, remove chicken from batter (allowing excess to drip back into bowl) and transfer to oil. Fry chicken, adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325*F, until deep golden brown and white meat registers 150*F (175*F for dark meat), 12 to 15 minutes. Drain chicken on wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Bring oil back to 350*F and repeat with remaining chicken. Serve.
Comments
I’m always trying to find good recipes for fried chicken that do not require skin and bones. Why? Because I just don’t like dealing with those things. Boneless, skinless chicken is much easier. This recipe, which is from the 2009 Cook’s Country Annual, seemed appealing because I figured the batter might make a nice coating even without skin on the chicken.
And it did! All three of us greatly enjoyed the chicken! It was nice and crunchy and very flavorful. I served it with some honey-mustard and barbeque sauces.
Cook’s Country 2009