WEST FRIED CHICKEN
2 kg chicken pieces
1 or 2 cups Buttermilk or milk
3 eggs
Tabasco Sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried sage
1 teaspoon dried thyme
olive oil or sunflower (about 2 cm deep in pan)
Rinse chicken, cut off excess fat, cut any very big pieces in half, and pat dry with a towel.
Combine buttermilk, a few squirts of Tabasco Sauce and eggs in a bowl; whisk to blend well.
(Tip: Marinating the chicken in the Buttermilk mixture for a few hours gives it a nice flavour)
In a large container with a lid, combine and sift the flour and dry ingredients.
(Tip: I use a coffee grinder to powder the herbs to help release their flavour!)
Dip the pieces of chicken in the Buttermilk mixture; let excess drip off back into the bowl. Then put a few chicken pieces in the dry ingredients container, put the lid on and shake to coat thoroughly (a plastic bag would probably work just as well but I like to think I’m getting some use out of Shirl’s Tupperware). Place coated pieces on a rack and repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Leave them for about 30 minutes for the coating to get moist.
Heat olive oil in fry pan to 6 o’clock position on stove top element control. When oil is hot, but not smoking, fry chicken, a few pieces at a time until light brown on both sides (don’t crowd that pan). After frying each batch, place them on a rack in a 160º(about 320F) oven (don’t forget to put a tray under the rack to catch the drips!). This process is important, as it both drains excess oil from the chicken as well as finishes cooking it in a very effective salute to healthy cooking!
Chicken breasts will take a little less time than boney pieces – thighs take the longest, so cook thighs and legs first. That way they will spend a bit longer in the oven than the breasts. Pierce with a fork to see if juices run clear to check for doneness. The end result is simply fantastic.