Is there a more beloved food than fried chicken? That love, though, has a darker side: fried-chicken partisanship, fried-chicken parochialism, fried-chicken orthodoxy and fried-chicken cooks who insist on convoluted and superstitious techniques. To me, fried chicken was one of those foods so steeped in lore that, no matter how many recipes I read, I always had the sinking feeling that you have to be born into it to make it. The master chicken fryer Charles Gabriel freed me, teaching me his technique, a technique he's been putting to work for more than 50 years, a technique handed down from his mother. So he was certainly born into it, but he didn't seem to think frying chicken would be beyond me: You season it, dip it in eggwash, flour and fry it. "So what about all that stuff like buttermilk? Or letting your chicken dry with the coating like I read about?" I asked him. "Nah, I don't believe in that," he said flatly. "I can make those other things, but I like to cook my own food." OK, so maybe he's a bit of a purist too. But his technique is not convoluted. It's super straightforward, and it makes extraordinary chicken: flavorful and juicy beneath a thin, crisp sheath. And now here I am, totally unintimidated. Charles Gabriel's Country Pan-Fried Chicken Serves 2-4. OK, I ate the whole damned thing myself.
Estimated based off 7 of 8 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
Season the chicken with salt, pepper, and your choice of spices 8 hours before cooking; refrigerate.
Heat oil to 1/2 inch depth in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat until it sizzles when a piece of chicken is added.
Beat egg and milk together; season with salt, pepper, and spices.
Season flour with salt and spices in a bowl.
Pour eggwash over chicken, stir to coat, then dredge pieces in flour, shake off excess, and place on a platter without touching.
Add chicken skin side down to hot oil, starting with thighs and legs; do not overcrowd.
Fry at a steady, vigorous bubble, flipping every 5 minutes until walnut brown, about 15 minutes total; stab thighs with tongs to ensure doneness.
Remove chicken, drain on paper towels, rest uncovered for a few minutes before serving.
Fresh ideas for meal planning, recipes, and your kitchen — brought together on Plan n Cook.