Southern Fried Chicken

1. Classic Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

Description: Learn how to make the ultimate Classic Crispy Fried Chicken at home. This recipe delivers a perfectly crunchy, golden-brown crust with juicy and tender meat inside every single time.

Ingredients

• Chicken: 1 whole chicken, cut up
• Marinade: 1-1/2 cups buttermilk (or alternative brine)
• Breading: 2 cups all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper
• For Frying: Vegetable shortening (about 4 cups, enough for 1/2-inch depth)

Directions

1. Marinate the Chicken: Place the chicken pieces in a zip-lock bag. Mix the buttermilk with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Pour this mixture over the chicken, seal the bag, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to 24 hours).
2. Coat the Chicken: Combine the flour, 1 teaspoon of salt, and pepper (to taste) in a dish. Remove the chicken from the marinade, completely coat each piece with flour, shake off any excess, and place them on a large wire rack set over a jelly-roll pan.
3. Heat the Shortening: Heat about 4 cups of vegetable shortening in a deep 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat until it reaches a 1/2-inch depth.
4. Fry the Chicken: Carefully place the chicken skin-side down into the hot shortening. Cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes. Check to see if the chicken is frying evenly, and rearrange the pieces if necessary. Cover again and cook until the chicken is evenly browned (about 5 minutes longer).
5. Finish and Drain: Turn the chicken pieces over and cook, uncovered, until the chicken is completely done (about 10–15 minutes longer). Remove the chicken and return it to the wire rack to drain.

💡 Buttermilk Alternative: If you don’t have buttermilk, combine 3 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of salt in a large bowl, then add the chicken. Cover and chill for 8 hours. Afterward, drain the chicken, rinse it with cold water, pat it dry, and proceed with the flour coating step.

2. Caribbean Chicken Recipe

Description: Bring the bright and sweet flavors of the tropics to your dinner table with this Easy Caribbean Chicken. Crispy cornflake-crusted chicken breasts are baked to perfection and topped with a sweet, tangy mandarin orange and rum sauce.

Ingredients

• Chicken & Coating:
  • 4 chicken breasts, rinsed and dried
  • 1 egg, slightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup of cornflake crumbs
• The Tropical Sauce:
  • 2 tablespoons of margarine or butter
  • 1/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 can (10 oz.) mandarin oranges (drained, keep the juice reserved!)
  • Water or rum (light or dark)
  • 5 teaspoons of concentrated orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons of water

Directions

Step 1: Bake the Chicken

1. Dip each chicken breast into the slightly beaten egg, then coat it thoroughly with the crushed cornflake cereal.
2. Place the chicken breasts in a single layer in a greased or foil-lined shallow baking pan.
3. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Step 2: Prepare the Sauce

Gently fold in the drained mandarin oranges and heat thoroughly. Pour the hot sauce generously over the baked chicken right before serving.

In a medium-sized saucepan, melt the margarine or butter, then stir in the brown sugar and set aside temporarily.

Add water or rum to your reserved mandarin orange juice until it measures exactly 1/4 cup. Stir this mixture into the melted margarine and sugar, then stir in the concentrated orange juice.

In a small cup, dissolve the cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water. Add this to the orange juice mixture in the saucepan.

Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes thick and clear.