Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

I'm taking my chances here trying to post a recipe for fried chicken. I've been making it myself for 20-some years now and have never used a recipe. It's one of those dishes, like my meatloaf, that never comes out the same way twice, and it never comes out as good as my mom's or my best friend's mom's. I do know that brining the chicken (letting is soak for a few hours in salted, sugared water) will improve the flavor, so I try to do that every time.

I always use whole chicken and cut it up myself, so I can save the back and wings to make chicken stock. I learned to cut up a chicken by watching my mom do it when I was growing up. If you don't know how, you can learn here, or you can spend a few cents per pound more and buy it already cut up.

And by the way, that's not some genetically modified chicken with extra parts in the photo. I cooked two (one for leftovers tomorrow or Sunday).


Fried Chicken

1 whole fryer chicken, cut up
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons sugar
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3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
additional salt and pepper


Combine water, salt and sugar in a very large bowl or pan and stir to dissolve. Place chicken pieces in this brine. If chicken is not completely covered by water, add more to cover. Refrigerate until ready to fry, at least 1 hour, more if possible.

Drain chicken and set aside.

Combine flour, seasoned salt and pepper in shallow bowl.

Heat 1/4" or so of oil in skillet over high heat.

Dredge moist pieces of chicken in flour mixture. If you'll be making gravy, you can save the leftover seasoned flour for that. Place chicken pieces, skin side down, in hot oil. Do not layer the pieces (I have layered the pieces, but it's a lot of work to get them done right; it's easier to use two pans if you have more than will fit in one).

Once all pieces are in the pan, sprinkle with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Fry chicken over high heat until well-browned on bottom. Turn pieces; again add additional salt and pepper if desired (we like lots of pepper).

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook chicken for about 20 minutes or until juices run clear.

Remove lid, turn heat up to high, and cook until coating is crisp.

Drain on paper towels.

Makes 6 or more pieces, depending on how chicken is cut.