Got time? Try KFC-like chicken

‘I don’t have the actual recipe for KFC chicken that Deanna Dunkin Smith asked for,” Connie Trier tells us, “but I’ve made up my own.

“I use cracker crumbs — rolled not too fine — Ritz are best, but any will do. I add Johnny’s seasoning salt, garlic salt, pepper and a bit of poultry seasoning. I skin and rinse the chicken, dredge it in flour, then in egg mixed with milk, then shake it in a bag with the crumbs and seasonings. I brown the pieces on top of the stove, then put them on a rack in a baking pan and cook in the oven at 375 degrees for a half-hour or until the juices run clear. If you don’t like so much salt, I suppose garlic powder could be substituted, but the garlic is an important ingredient.”

Sounds like a perfect plan to me and probably you, too. In case not, though, Connie has also taken the time and trouble to send along a KFC takeoff she says is “from the Net.”

Cooks will notice this particular recipe specifies the use of only a special pressure fryer or a deep-fryer. As long as you have either one, you’re all set to fix:

Fried chicken like KFC

5-6 cups oil for frying

2eggs, beaten

1/2 cups milk

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1teaspoon instant chicken bouillon, Knorr preferred, divided

2large cloves garlic, minced

1tablespoon freshly chopped parsley, divided

1tablespoon self-rising flour, such as Wondra

1cup flour

3/4fine bread crumbs

1/2teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon garlic powder (not salt)

1/4teaspoon onion powder (not salt)

1/2teaspoon paprika

1/3teaspoon Bell seasoning (whatever that is)

2teaspoons black pepper

1/2teaspoon monosodiaum glutamate (optional)

Additional flour for separate precoating

1frying chicken, cut in pieces

Safety warning: A special pressure fryer is the only type of pressure cooker you can fry in safely. Read your manufacturer’s instructions before frying in a pressure cooker. If you don’t have your instruction manual, then prepare this chicken in a deep-fryer instead.

Pour oil into the pressure fryer or deep-fryer and heat using medium heat to about 360 degrees.

In a small bowl, beat the egg, milk and soy sauce, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon of the bouillon. Put garlic cloves through a garlic press and add to egg mixture. Add half the parsley and the 1 tablespoon self-rising flour. Stir well and set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine the 1 cup flour and bread crumbs; add all remaining ingredients, except precoating flour and chicken. Mix well with a fork.

Put about 1/2 cup additional flour in a separate bowl. Use this to dip each chicken piece, prior to dipping in the milk and seasonings. Roll each piece of chicken around until well covered, first in the plain flour, then in milk mixture, then in the flour?crumbs mixture. Gently lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil and allow to become a golden color (add the bigger pieces first).

Pressure fryer: If you are using a pressure fryer, place lid on and lock it when the chicken is a very light golden color, usually about 3 minutes. Begin timing when the lid is locked and gauge indicates a pressure of 5-6 pounds. Bring temperature up immediately and watch carefully (don’t walk away!). Remove from heat after about 7 minutes and reduce pressure following manufacturer’s directions. Remove chicken pieces and place on layers of paper towels. Return pan to the stove and bring temperature back up and continue until all chicken pieces are fried. If your chicken was too brown, cook the next batch for a minute or so less, and vice versa if your chicken wasn’t browned enough. Do not overload the cooker with too many pieces, as it brings the temperature down too quickly and will cause pieces to absorb more of the cooking oil than they otherwise would.

Regular deep-frying: Fry chicken at 360-375 degrees, placing the larger pieces in when the temperature is slightly lower (temperature will drop when pieces are added). Put smaller pieces in when temperature is higher, and they will be cooked more quickly. Remove when chicken is golden brown and drain on paper towels.

The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.