Simple Crispy Fried Chicken
Today’s recipe is simple crispy fried chicken. Although I’ve made many deep-fried chicken recipes, this recipe is one that I’ve learned from my sister-in-law and adapted to my liking.
The chicken has a super fast marinade, the skin is crispy and the meat is incredibly juicy. The toppings of fried curry leaves and shallots give a fragrance boost while lending the dish an extra crunch! The seasonings are also quite simple for a basic fried chicken dish. Feel free to change and adapt more seasonings for extra flavours!
Ingredients
Whole Leg Chicken – I used large pieces (roughly 200g each!), but thighs and drumsticks work well too. Make sure to adjust the cooking time according to the size of the chicken. While it is possible to use the breast meat, it may turn out dry and tough compared to the thighs.
Salt, Coarse Black Pepper, Paprika Powder – these seasonings are the simplest one can find in the kitchen. Paprika powder is there to give a hint of spiciness, and for a lovely brown colour to the chicken. Experiment by adding other seasonings such as garlic powder, onion powder and even dried herbs!
Flour, Egg – I used my Homemade Crispy Flour which you can also make at home. It coats the chicken as a crispy layer. Other substitutes that work include tempura flour and the commercial fried chicken coating mix. Do adjust the salt amount if using store-bought as my crispy flour recipe does not contain salt.
Cooking oil – the standard ingredient for any deep-fried dish. I used palm oil, which is quite affordable for deep-frying and is unscented. Flavour the oil with some curry leaves before frying to get a lovely fragrance on the chicken.
Curry Leaves, Crispy Shallots – the toppings that release an appetising, curry-like fragrance. They also add colour to the dish, with an additional thin crisp texture and sweet crunches in between mouthfuls. I highly recommend including them!
Steps
Here are the brief steps to make this simple crispy fried recipe:
- Heat the oil for 10 minutes.
- Marinate chicken with salt, pepper and curry powder.
- Break and mix egg with chicken. Set aside to marinate.
- Mix crispy flour with seasonings.
- Fry curry leaves for 10 seconds.
- Remove curry leaves from the pan and set them aside.
- Swirl chicken in marinade sauce.
- Coat chicken with flour generously.
- Carefully lower the chicken into oil and fry for 8-10 minutes on one side, or until golden brown.
- Turn the chicken and fry for 8 minutes.
- Remove chicken from the oil and set on the cooling rack.
- Top with fried curry leaves and crispy shallots.
Tips
- The oil is heated for 10 minutes to save time while the chicken and flour are marinated and prepared. If the preparation takes a longer time, heat the oil once the preparation is complete.
- Ensure there is no moisture on the curry leaves. Hot oil and water results in a large oil splash and is very dangerous!
- Set the curry leaves on a kitchen towel or a cooling rack with a fine mesh to keep them crispy while the chicken cooks.
- Once the chicken is in, try not to move the chicken. Sometimes, it will be stuck at the bottom of the pan. This is normal. Once it is fully cooked, the chicken will separate itself and can be moved.
- As my oil is not enough to fully submerge the chicken, I scooped the hot oil and poured it over the exposed parts to seal the meat and keep the juices in. This is not necessary if your chicken is fully submerged in the oil.
- Make sure to watch the full video to see how I made it exactly!
Storage Instructions
All fried food tends to become a little hard after it has cooled down a little. I suggest enjoying fresh once cooked.
It can be kept in the fridge (or freezer) to be reheated, though some of its flavour and crispy texture may be lost.
Let’s Eat!
Fragrant, crispy, juicy and so tender. The seasonings bring out the flavour of the chicken, while the flour gives just the right amount of crunch. The curry leaves are so crispy while the shallots fill the mouth with a delightful sweetness.
This Crispy Fried Chicken dish is just perfect with rice and some Somtam (Thai Green Papaya Salad). Delicious!
Crispy Fried Chicken
Equipment
- Wok
- Large strainer
- Mini-strainer
- Food Tongs
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 3 whole leg chicken
- 1/4 tbsp salt
- 1/2 tbsp black pepper, coarse
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 egg, medium
Crispy Flour Mix
- 3/4 cup homemade crispy flour
- 1/4 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tbsp black pepper, coarse
- 1 tbsp curry powder
Toppings
- 6 stems curry leaves
- 1 L cooking oil, for deep-frying
- 3 tbsp crispy fried shallots
Instructions
- Heat the cooking oil in the wok over medium heat for 10 minutes while we prepare the chicken and flour.
- Sprinkle half the salt on one side of the chicken. Turn it and sprinkle the rest on the other side. Repeat with the black pepper and curry powder.
- Rub the seasonings until well-combined.
- Crack the egg and mix until well-combined. Cover and set aside.
- Mix homemade crispy flour with salt, pepper and curry powder with a small whisk. Set aside.
- Insert the tip of a wooden cooking chopstick into the oil. If bubbles appear at the tip, the oil is hot enough for deep-frying.
- Pull all the curry leaves from the stem and add them to the oil. Fry for 10 seconds. Remove with a strainer and set aside.
- Swirl the chicken in the marinated liquid, before coating well with the flour mix. Carefully lower the chicken into the oil, one at a time. Let it fry for 8 – 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Turn and rotate the chicken. Let it cook for 8 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oil, and rest it on a cooling rack to drip off the excess oil.
- Top with fried curry leaves and crispy shallots. Serve with white rice and some chilli sauce, or papaya salad.
Notes
Tips
- The oil is heated for 10 minutes to save time while the chicken and flour are marinated and prepared. If the preparation takes a longer time, heat the oil once the preparation is complete.
- Ensure there is no moisture on the curry leaves. Hot oil and water results in a large oil splash and is very dangerous!
- Set the curry leaves on a kitchen towel or a cooling rack with a fine mesh to keep them crispy while the chicken cooks.
- Once the chicken is in, try not to move the chicken. Sometimes, it will be stuck at the bottom of the pan. This is normal. Once it is fully cooked, the chicken will separate itself and can be moved.
- As my oil is not enough to fully submerge the chicken, I scooped the hot oil and poured it over the exposed parts to seal the meat and keep the juices in. This is not necessary if your chicken is fully submerged in the oil.
- Make sure to watch the full video to see how I made it exactly!