Kentucky Chicken (KFC)

Name: Kentucky Chicken (KFC) - Ilinca J.
Ingredients: Seasoning: 5 chicken drumsticks (or wings) 1/2 teaspoon chopped tarragon (I used the one from the jar with salt and a splash of vinegar) 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley chili

Meat - Kentucky Chicken (KFC) by Ilinca J. - Recipia

Kentucky chicken is prepared in two stages: first, the drumsticks are seasoned and boiled until cooked through, then they are coated in flour, egg, and cornflakes before frying. Marinating for a few hours helps the spices penetrate the meat better. I left them for about 12 hours in the fridge, but the recipe can also be started with less time in advance if needed. Quick info Preparation time: not specified exactly; marinating takes a few hours, approximately 12 hours in the version used here Cooking time: the drumsticks are boiled for at least 20 minutes, then fried until golden brown Servings: 5 chicken drumsticks Difficulty: medium Recipe type: breaded chicken, fried, with a cornflake crust Ingredients For seasoning the chicken 5 chicken drumsticks or wings 1/2 teaspoon chopped tarragon, preferably from a jar, with salt and a little vinegar 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley chili or hot paprika, to taste 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika salt pepper For the crust 100 g cornflakes In the described version, about 3/4 of a 150 g bag was used, which is slightly more than the amount listed in the ingredients. For breading and frying 1 egg white and 1 whole egg 4 tablespoons of flour a pinch of pepper a pinch of chili or hot paprika oil for frying Preparation method 1. Prepare the spice paste Place the tarragon, thyme, parsley, sweet paprika, chili, salt, and pepper in a mortar. Crush and mix well with the pestle until you obtain a homogeneous paste. The jarred tarragon, which already contains salt and a little vinegar, helps the paste bind together. Set aside some of this paste to brush the chicken after boiling and to mix into the eggs. 2. Season and marinate the drumsticks Wash the chicken drumsticks and dry them well. Brush them with some of the spice paste so that they are evenly coated. Place them in a dish, cover, and leave in the fridge for a few hours. In the version prepared here, the drumsticks were refrigerated for about 12 hours. If left overnight, the meat will have enough time to absorb the flavor of the spices. 3. Boil the chicken After marinating, put the drumsticks in a pot with water and a little salt. Boil them until a fork goes into the meat, but without the meat starting to fall off the bone. Check for the first time after 20 minutes of boiling. The exact time may vary depending on the size of the drumsticks, so checking the meat is more important than strictly adhering to a number of minutes. When cooked, remove them from the water and let them cool slightly so they can be handled. 4. Brush the meat again After the drumsticks have cooled, brush them with the remaining spice paste. This step brings the spices closer to the crust and helps achieve a more pronounced flavor after frying. 5. Prepare the cornflakes Put the cornflakes in a mortar and crush them. They can also be crushed in a deep plate. They should not be turned into a fine powder; it is good to leave some small pieces, which will form the texture of the crust. Mix the crushed flakes with a pinch of pepper and a little chili or hot paprika. 6. Prepare the stations for breading In a deep plate, beat the egg together with the egg white and add a pinch of salt. Incorporate the remaining spice paste that was set aside. In another plate, place the 4 tablespoons of flour. Also prepare the plate with the crushed cornflakes separately. 7. Coat the drumsticks in the mixtures Dip each drumstick, one at a time, in the flour, then in the egg, back in the flour, again in the egg, and finally in the cornflakes. The order is important for the flakes to adhere to the chicken's surface. Press the drumstick gently into the crushed flakes without removing the layer of egg and flour. 8. Fry the chicken Heat oil in a pan and fry the drumsticks over medium heat. Turn them on all sides until the crust becomes golden brown. The chicken is already cooked at this stage, so frying serves to cook and brown the crust. Medium heat helps to evenly color the flakes without burning them too quickly. Remove the drumsticks onto a paper towel to absorb excess oil. Serve the Kentucky chicken with garlic sauce. Why I make the recipe often I love this version because the chicken is boiled before being put in the crust. The meat absorbs flavors more easily, and the frying stage is shorter than when using raw chicken directly breaded. The cornflakes provide a firmer crust than breadcrumbs, and the spices can be easily adjusted to taste. Tips and variations Tips The drumsticks should be dried well before the first seasoning. If they remain wet, the spice paste will spread more difficultly and will not evenly cover the meat. Do not boil the chicken until the meat starts to fall off the bone. For this recipe, the drumsticks should be cooked through but remain intact enough to be coated in flour, egg, and flakes. Check the temperature of the oil before placing all the drumsticks. If the oil is not hot enough, the crust may absorb more oil. If it is too hot, the flakes will brown before the breading layer is well set. Keep aside a little spice paste for the egg stage. In the recipe, the same paste is used for both seasoning the chicken and in the crust mixture. Substitutions Tarragon can be used from a jar, as mentioned in the recipe, or can be substituted with plain chopped tarragon if that is what is available. In the version with jarred tarragon, keep in mind that it already contains salt and a little vinegar. Chili can be replaced with hot paprika. The amount is adjusted based on how spicy you want the chicken to be. If you do not have fresh parsley, it can be omitted, but the original recipe uses a teaspoon of chopped parsley. Variations The recipe can also be made with wings, not just drumsticks. In the case of wings, checking after boiling remains important as their size may vary. For a more pronounced crust, you can use the amount indicated in the initial preparation, which is about 3/4 of a 150 g bag of cornflakes. The ingredient list mentions 100 g, so both amounts appear depending on how thick you want the crust to be. Serving ideas The chicken is served with garlic sauce. It can be placed on the table immediately after frying, alongside the preferred sauce already used in the recipe. The crust is more enjoyable while it is fresh and crispy. Frequently asked questions Can I marinate the chicken for just a few hours? Yes. The recipe says to leave it for a few hours in the fridge, and the version used here was left for about 12 hours. If you have less time, you can leave it for as long as possible, provided it is covered and kept cool. Why is the chicken boiled before breading? Boiling helps the meat to absorb flavors before frying. In the pan, the final stage is mainly for browning the flour, egg, and cornflake crust. How long should the chicken be boiled? Check the drumsticks after 20 minutes. They are ready for the next stage when a fork goes into the meat, but the meat does not fall off the bone. The time may vary depending on the size of the pieces. Can I use just one egg? The ingredients mention one egg white and one whole egg. In the described preparation, the leftover egg white from the KFC garlic sauce was also used. For this amount of chicken, the mixture of one egg and one egg white is what is listed in the recipe. Can it be made without cornflakes? The recipe is built around the cornflake crust, which gives the specific texture. If they are replaced, the result will not be the same, even if the other steps are maintained. Nutritional values The values below are estimates and refer to one breaded drumstick, without the garlic sauce. The exact amount of absorbed oil cannot be calculated, and this influences the final result the most. For one breaded chicken drumstick: Calories: approximately 300–450 kcal Protein: approximately 20–25 g Carbohydrates: approximately 15–25 g Fats: approximately 18–28 g Sodium may vary depending on the amount of salt used in the spice paste, in the boiling water, and in the jarred tarragon. The garlic sauce served alongside is not included in this estimate. Storage and reheating The chicken is best immediately after frying when the crust is still crispy. If there are leftovers, keep them covered in the fridge and consume them as soon as possible. After cooling, the crust will soften, and upon reheating, it will not have exactly the same texture as when it was fried. Do not keep leftovers at room temperature. The garlic sauce should be kept separately in the fridge if not consumed with the chicken.

Kentucky Chicken (KFC)

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