Kentucky Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 legs, 2 thighs)
• 2 quarts neutral frying oil (such as vegetable or canola oil)
• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons onion salt
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

Before you cook

• If starting with a whole chicken, cut it into 8 pieces: 2 breasts, 2 wings, 2 legs, and 2 thighs. Pat all pieces completely dry with paper towels — this helps the coating stick.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, paprika, onion salt, chili powder, black pepper, celery salt, sage, garlic powder, allspice, oregano, basil, and marjoram until evenly combined. Set aside.
• Place the egg white in a separate shallow bowl and beat lightly with a fork until slightly frothy.
• Set up a wire rack over a baking sheet to rest the coated chicken pieces before frying.

Steps

1. Pour 2 quarts of frying oil into a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. The oil should be at least 3–4 inches deep. Clip a deep-fry thermometer to the side of the pot.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. This will take about 15–20 minutes. Adjust the burner as needed to maintain this temperature throughout frying.
3. While the oil heats, dip one chicken piece into the egg white, turning to coat all sides lightly. Let any excess egg white drip off.
4. Transfer the egg-white-coated chicken piece to the flour mixture. Turn it several times and press the flour firmly onto all surfaces, including under any flaps of skin, until the piece is thoroughly and evenly coated.
5. Place the coated chicken piece on the prepared wire rack. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with all remaining chicken pieces.
6. Let the coated chicken pieces rest on the wire rack for 5 minutes. This allows the coating to dry slightly so it adheres better and crisps up during frying.
7. When the oil reaches 350°F, carefully lower 3–4 chicken pieces into the oil using tongs — do not overcrowd the pot, as this drops the oil temperature and leads to greasy chicken. Fry in batches.
8. Fry breast and wing pieces for 12–14 minutes, and leg and thigh pieces for 14–16 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking. Maintain the oil temperature as close to 350°F as possible throughout.
9. The chicken is done when the coating is deep golden brown and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the piece (away from bone) reads 165°F.
10. Remove the finished pieces with tongs and place them on a clean layer of paper towels to drain excess oil. Allow to rest for 2–3 minutes.
11. Repeat steps 7–10 with the remaining chicken pieces, allowing the oil to return to 350°F between batches.
12. Serve hot.