What is Chicken Fried Chicken?
If you’ve been to an American fast-casual restaurant, you’ve probably seen chicken fried steak on the menu. This is similar, but instead of using steak, you use chicken thighs.
It’s got the same crunchy fried breading and hearty gravy, is a bit cheaper to make, and is just as delicious. This recipe will show you how to make it, from the gravy to the homemade chicken fried chicken itself.
How do you make it?
It’s made by breading pieces of chicken, then frying in oil. It’s a fairly simple process, but there are some things to keep in mind.
First is how you want to fry the chicken. You can either shallow fry in a pan, or deep fry in a large pot or deep fryer.
I recommend pan frying since it’s easier and safer. However, you’ll need to heat your oil thoroughly before frying.
If you don’t, the chicken will be cooked by the pan instead of the oil, which can lead to burning. I also recommend using medium-low heat for the same reason.
You also want to consider the thickness of your chicken. If you don’t want to flatten the chicken, you’ll need to use chicken thighs.
I recommend using thighs anyway since they work better for things like this. Also keep in mind that the thickness determines how long to cook the chicken for.
Conclusion and Recipe
Below I’ve listed all the steps necessary to make chicken fried chicken, as well as a gravy to go with it.
If you like this recipe, check out my Korean street toast.
Ingredients
For the chicken:
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 cup of flour, 125 grams
large pinch of garlic powder, about 1/2 tsp
large pinch of onion powder, about 1/2 tsp
pinch of black pepper, about 1/4 tsp
pinch of baking soda, about 1/4 tsp
1 tsp kosher salt, 6 grams, divided*
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbsp milk, 15 grams
Oil, for frying
For the gravy:
4 Tbsps oil, 54 grams
3 Tbsps flour**, 23 grams
1/2 tsp kosher salt, 3 grams
Pinch of black pepper, about 1/4 tsp
1 1/2 cups of milk, 367 grams, plus more as needed
Makes 4 portions with gravy
Preparation
Flatten the chicken with something flat and heavy, like a heavy skillet.
Add the flour, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powders and the baking soda to a plate or bowl and mix. Also combine the egg and milk in a separate bowl.
Cover your chicken in seasoned flour, then dip in the egg, then cover with flour again. Shallow fry*** at 350 f (176 c) for about 5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
To make the gravy, empty all but 4 Tbsps of frying oil from the pan. With the heat on medium, add your flour and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the milk, salt and pepper. Add more milk or seasoning if necessary.
To serve, pour gravy over the fried chicken.
Notes
* I recommend using half in the flour, and half to season the chicken directly.
** Most places have you use a 1-to-1 ratio of fat and flour. However, that’s never been consistent for me; I sometimes end up with clumps instead of a smooth, liquid roux.
Using more fat than flour ensures your roux is a smooth liquid, meaning it will cook evenly. I’m not aware of any downsides compared to the 1-to-1 method, so I really do recommend this 4-to-3 approach instead.
*** Shallow frying has you using enough oil in a pan to fry about half of the food. After frying the first side, you turn it over and cook the second side.
Keep in mind that you don’t want the pan to be the main thing cooking the chicken, so you want to use a fairly low heat level.
I recommend using medium-low heat and to preheat your oil very well.
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