How To Make Fried Chicken Soft And Tender But Crispy On The Outside

You may have eaten chicken breasts before that were pan-fried and the chicken tasted rubbery, tough and dry. Properly batter fried chicken breasts supposed to be very soft and tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. So how do you accomplish this? It's really no big secret. Cooking fried chicken breasts is quite simple if you know the right steps and techniques.

Using a meat tenderizing tool, pound out each breast so that it has an even thickness. If you prefer it to be very thin, slice it in half from the side so you have two thin pieces. Pounding the chicken breasts ensures that the chicken cooks evenly and thoroughly. For best results, soak the chicken in an herb and buttermilk mixture overnight to season and soften your chicken breasts. The process adds flavor and makes them tender and moist after cooking.

Remove the chicken from the marinade mixture, allow excess to drain off, and coat chicken in flour. Alternately you can dredge the chicken in egg before coating in flour. Place the coated chicken pieces on a platter and set in the fridge to rest for about 15 minutes before pan frying. to add some extra crispy texture to the outside, incorporate some bread crumbs, bran, crushed chip or crackers, or crushed unsweetened cereal into the flour mixture.

Preheat oil in a heavy bottom skillet to the point of almost smoking. Use oil with a high smoking point such as peanut oil. Add chicken pieces slowly to the oil. Allow one piece of chicken to start cooking before adding another. When the first piece has reached appoint where the batter is browning on the outside, usually 5-8 minutes, turn the chicken and finish cooking. Chicken breasts when properly cooked should be white in color, and the juices should run clear in color. Do not cover the chicken with a lid; however a splatter screen is suggested. Turn chicken only once, unless necessary.

Place the pan-fried chicken on a wire rack sitting on a baking sheet and place in a preheated 200 F oven. The oven will keep the chicken warm while the remaining pieces finish frying. Placing on a wire rack also allows the chicken to drain off any excess oil. Alternately, remove chicken from hot oil to a platter covered with paper towels to catch oil and allow chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.