Pan-Fried Chicken

How to prepare the chicken

1. The tastiest fried chicken comes from a bird that has never been frozen. It doesn’t leak and keeps all its juices inside the meat. If you can buy a free-range or “farm” chicken, the result will be even better.

2. Remove any remaining feathers and visible pieces of fat from the chicken.

   

   Then wash the meat thoroughly, removing any remains of the innards, and pat the bird dry with paper towels. Water is entirely unwanted when frying.

3. With a sharp knife or kitchen scissors, cut the bird along one side, between the breasts, and open it out like a book.

   

4. Put the cut chicken on a cutting board and lightly pound the thick parts with a meat mallet so the whole bird is roughly the same thickness. It’s fine if thin bones break in the process. Usually the breasts and thighs are the parts worth pounding, and the rest is just evened out.

5. Rub a little salt and spices into the meat.

   

How to fry

1. Fried chicken turns out very well cooked on the stovetop or in the oven. Frying is the transfer of heat from the pan or baking sheet to the meat through a film or layer of hot fat, or without fat, as with a grill. For dishes like this I use a steel “alpine” frying pan with a handle. The chicken fits in it nicely, and it can go equally well on the grill, the stove or in the oven.

   If you plan to fry in the oven, preheat it to 200°C beforehand. On the stovetop, use medium heat.

2. Melt the butter in the pan and add the olive oil. Lay the chicken in the bottom of the pan. The wings and legs can be tucked under.

   

3. Fry the chicken in the pan without a lid, turning it often, aiming for a rosy golden crust to form. Also baste the chicken once or twice with the fat that collects in the pan.

   

   Usually the meat is ready after 15 mins, and the total frying time doesn’t exceed half an hour. If you pierce the meat near the bone, the juice should run clear.

How to fry potatoes

1. At home you can’t always make French fries, but it’s easy to fry nice potato sticks.

2. While the chicken is frying, peel a few potatoes and cut them into sticks. Fry them in a mix of butter and vegetable oil over medium heat in a separate open pan, stirring almost constantly so they brown well, until golden.

Serving

1. Put the fried potatoes on a plate and add half a chicken.

   

   The meat must be served piping hot, with the remaining fat from the pan poured over the chicken. The dish is very fragrant with a pleasant buttery flavor. If you like, add hot tomato sauce or salsa in a sauce boat. Many people like to sprinkle freshly ground pepper over the meat before serving.