Description
When you make crisco fried chicken, you get crispy, golden pieces that stay juicy on the inside because Crisco keeps the oil at just the right temperature. Your family will be passing plates around the table before you even set down the platter, so you better fry up a big batch.
Ingredients
Scale
Base ingredients:
- 2.5 pounds chicken pieces
Wet mixture:
- 0.5 cup milk
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
Coating and seasonings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 0.25 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Cooking fat:
- 1.5 cups Crisco shortening
Instructions
- Whisk together 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg in a medium bowl, then set it aside for coating.
- Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons garlic salt, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning in a large Ziploc bag and shake until everything is evenly mixed.
- Add your 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken pieces to the bag a few at a time and shake thoroughly so each piece gets fully coated in the flour mixture.
- Take each flour-coated chicken piece and dip it into your milk-egg mixture, then return it to the flour bag for a second coating and shake again.
- Heat 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Crisco shortening in your large skillet to 365 degrees Fahrenheit on medium-high heat, making sure the melted shortening reaches 1/2 to 2 inches up the sides of the pan.
- Place your chicken pieces into the hot shortening and cook them on all sides until the exterior turns golden brown, which takes roughly 8 to 10 minutes total.
- Reduce your heat to 275 degrees Fahrenheit on medium-low and continue cooking your chicken, turning the pieces over several times, until the meat becomes tender inside, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
- Transfer your finished chicken onto a wire rack lined with parchment paper so any excess shortening can drip away as it cools.
- If your prefer deep-frying instead, heat 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Crisco in your deep-fryer to 365 degrees Fahrenheit and fry your chicken pieces until they turn golden brown, about 15 to 18 minutes total.
- Transfer your deep-fried chicken onto a wire rack lined with parchment paper to drain and cool.
Notes
- The double-coating method; dipping chicken in the egg mixture between flour coatings; creates that extra-crispy exterior that makes fried chicken so satisfying to bite into.
- Getting your Crisco to exactly 365 degrees before adding chicken makes a real difference; if it’s too cool, your coating absorbs oil and becomes greasy instead of crispy.
- Letting coated chicken rest in the flour mixture for a few minutes before the egg dip helps the second coat stick better and fry up crunchier.
- Transferring finished chicken to a wire rack instead of a plate lets air circulate underneath, keeping the bottom from getting soggy as it cools.
- Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
- Category: More Fried Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 850 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 1200 mg
- Fat: 70 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 45 g
- Trans Fat: 2 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 150 mg