Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Home-style country fried chicken


There would probably always be debates as to which fast food restaurant makes the best fried chicken. Be it KFC, Popeye's, Churchs' or your local mom and pop's. Every once in a while, we all crave that seasoned, battered fried chicken.

Satisfying as it might be, there was always 'that voice', reminding me how unhealthy fried chicken can be. This inspired me to come up with a somewhat healthy version - that trims the fat, without compromising on taste.

What you need:
Canola or vegetable oil for deep frying
Skinless chicken pieces (I prefer chicken thighs)
Flour
Spices (salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, curry powder, thyme, seasoned salt/all purpose seasonings)

What to do:
Season chicken with a combination of spices (to your taste)
Allow to sit for at least an hour
Coat seasoned chicken with flour lightly
Heat up oil in a frying pan
Slowly drop chicken pieces in oil
Flip every 2-3 minutes making sure not to burn on either side, until cooked (it should take about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of each piece - poke with a fork to make sure cooked all the way)

How to serve:
Serve with your favorite sides. I chose to serve mine with corn on the cob, pesto pasta and coleslaw. Enjoy!

p.s - you can place on a baking sheet and cook in a 450 degree oven, flipping to make sure browned on all sides - instead of frying, to reduce the fat even further. Tastes great!