Mouthwatering Gourmet Dishes

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Fried Chicken with Chili Spices

View the story "Fried Chicken with Chili Spices" on StorifyFried Chicken with Chili SpicesStorified by Arya McLean· Sat, Apr 13 2013 22:45:28Gourmandia

Add life and zing to everyday fried chicken with a medley of spices. In this gourmet cooking recipe adapted from the How to Cook Everything cookbook, chicken is seasoned and coated with a combination or potent spices including chili powder, ground cumin, ground turmeric, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. All-purpose flour is combined with the spices to coat the skin of the chicken and result in a crispy golden exterior after it is fried. This unforgettable dish is perfect with cola, soda or ice cold beer. Serve it to friends for a weekend get-together or a casual party at home.

The perfect fried chicken is crispy and golden on the outside while soft, tender and juicy on the inside. For the best results, but fryer chicken pieces that are sold specifically for the purpose of frying. These pieces are not too large or too small, but are medium-sized with superior flavor. Pieces that are too large will be overcooked outside and undercooked inside while smaller pieces will dry out inside too soon.

When frying, use a heavy bottomed pan or cast iron skillet, which can take large amounts of heat for long periods and distributes the heat evenly throughout. It is also best to have a kitchen thermometer for determining the temperature of the oil, which is a crucial factor when cooking perfectly fried chicken. In this recipe, peanut oil is used to fry the chicken. This adds a bit of flavor to the skin and the meat and also enhances the golden color of the fried chicken.

Fry the chicken in smaller batches since the temperature of the oil will drop significantly when the meat is dropped in it. The temperature of the oil should not drop below the 350 degrees F mark so adjust the heat accordingly. If you do not have a kitchen thermometer, you can test the oil by dropping a pinch of flout and if the temperature is right, the flour will fry upon contact with the oil but will not turn black too quickly.

Ingredients

Peanut oil for frying
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
3-4 lb. cut-up fryer chicken

Preparation Instructions

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry with paper towel.

2. In a deep-fryer or large, deep skillet, heat about 1/2-inch oil over medium-high heat.

3. While oil is heating, mix together flour and seasonings in a large plastic bag. Shake to combine.

4. Add chicken to the bag, 2 or 3 pieces at a time, and shake until they are well-coated. Remove each piece from the bag and place on a rack or plate.

5. When the oil is 350 degrees, turn heat up to high. Add chicken pieces to the oil slowly, one piece at a time. When all the pieces have been added, cover, reduce heat back to medium-high and fry for 7 minutes.

6. Remove cover, turn pieces over and fry, uncovered, for an additional 7 minutes. Turn chicken once again and fry for another 5 minutes, turning the chicken if necessary, until both sides are golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel.