Fried Chicken Drumsticks
This is the recipe for crispy fried chicken if you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make it. This deep-fried chicken recipe, which is always a picnic favorite, is yummy hot or cold. This Kentucky Fried Chicken is what the family calls it!
Total:50 mins
Prep:20 mins
Cook:30 mins
Marinate:60 mins
Yield:6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
16 chicken of drumsticks (or blend of drumsticks and thighs)
1 1/2 cups of buttermilk
1 1/2 tablespoons of Tabasco sauce
2 teaspoons of salt
2 tablespoons of black pepper (divided)
2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil (for frying, around 3 cups)
Instructions:
Heat the warming drawer or oven to 200 F.
1. Pat the chicken to dry with paper towels. Do not rinse your chicken because the splatter of water and raw chicken juices in your kitchen would only increase the risk of cross-contamination.
2. Blend the buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, salt, and 1 tablespoon of black pepper in a big bowl, To the mixture, add the chicken legs and toss to cover. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour with the marinade (or up to 24 hours).
3. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk after the marinating period is done and let any excess buttermilk drip off. Place the chicken pieces on a cooling rack with paper towels underneath to catch the drippings if you already have one.
4. Heat at least 3 cups of oil to around 365 F in a big, heavy saucepan, deep skillet, or saute pan. Combine the flour, remaining black pepper, and cayenne in a large clean mixing bowl. While waiting for the oil to heat to the proper temperature, shake the chicken legs in the seasoned flour and put them on the rack.
5. Place the chicken pieces in the oil when the oil has reached 350 F, working in batches. For almost 10 minutes, leave each piece, turning once. Use an instant-read food thermometer placed in the thickest part of the largest drumstick, away from bone or fat, to check for doneness. The safest temperature for poultry is 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove the chicken pieces to paper towels to drain when done.
6. Transfer the drained chicken to a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil, and keep warm in the warming drawer or oven while frying the rest batches. Serve and Enjoy!
Deep-Fry vs Pan-Fry
In deep-frying, the food is fully immersed in the oil, whereas in pan-frying, the food is placed in just enough oil to cover the bottom and sides, requiring the pieces to be turned over and fried on both sides. In a deep 10-inch skillet, three cups of oil give you a depth of 1/2 inch and are sufficient for pan-frying.
Oven-Fry Your Chicken
Use your oven to cook and crisp the chicken drumsticks if you really need to prevent deep-fried food for dietary issues or simply because you want to lower the calorie content.
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Grease a baking pan with olive oil or butter and put the chicken on it once it has been well coated with the spiced flour.
30 minutes to bake, turning once. If the chicken is golden brown on all sides, check with a food thermometer for doneness and ensure it is at least 165 F once inserted away from the bone or fat into the thickest part of the meat.
PIN THIS FOR LATER!