Tuscan fried chicken
Fried chicken is a crowd-pleaser, a main course that benefits from a light, refreshing side dish as a green salad simply dressed with lemon juice and olive oil, or that hits the jackpot with a side of crisp, homemade chips.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 2 deboned chicken thighs, about 1 lb/500 grams
- 1 lemon, sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 rosemary sprigs
- A handful sage leaves
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 l (4¼ cups) neutral oil for frying, like sunflower seed or peanut oil
For the batter
- 1 egg
- 2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- Fine sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare the chicken.
- Cut the chicken thighs in small pieces, large enough to be devoured with a couple of bites.
- Collect the chicken in a large bowl, then add the sliced lemon, the crushed cloves of garlic, and the fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with cling film and leave at room temperature for about an hour. You can also prepare the chicken the day before: in this case, stash the bowl in the fridge, but bring the chicken back to room temperature before frying it. It’s important to cook meat at room temperature, as it ensures an even cooking, so do not skip this step.
Prepare the batter.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until you remove all the lumps. You should obtain a silky, smooth batter. Keep it on the runny side, then add the chicken into the batter and leave it there for about 10 minutes.
Fry the chicken.
- When you are ready to fry, pour the frying oil into a large, deep pan and set over medium-high heat. Arrange a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and set it nearby.
- When the oil registers 180°C/350°F on a deep-frying thermometer, or when the handle of a wooden spoon immersed in the oil is immediately surrounded by tiny bubbles, lift a few pieces of chicken from the batter, let the excess drip off, and add them to the pot. Cook the chicken in batches as, if you crowd the oil, the temperature will drop and the chicken will absorb too much oil.
- Fry, turning the chicken with two forks, until deep golden brown, for about 8 minutes. Transfer the fried chicken to the wire rack set over the baking sheet. Cook the remaining chicken in batches, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- When all of the chicken has been fried, transfer it to a platter, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and serve immediately.
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