Deep-Fried Chicken (But Low Fat!)

AzArlie's Note:

Old family recipe, so simple that guests refuse to believe that I'm not hiding some secret ingredient! Removing the skin from the chicken greatly reduces the fat content, but the chicken is moist and tasty, with a lovely brown crust. It's labor intensive, but worth every minute!

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 frying chicken, cut up and skinned
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons salt
• recycled shortening

Directions:

1. Cut the chicken into pieces.
2. Remove skin and extra fat from each piece (except wings -- too hard!).
3. When all pieces are skinned and rinsed, salt each piece on both sides and put into a large bowl.
4. Cover bowl and allow to sit in refrigerator overnight, if possible, but at least for an hour or two.
5. Heat your recylced shortening (see below) in dutch oven.
6. Pour milk into a medium bowl, and flour into another.
7. When the shortening is hot enough, roll a piece of chicken in the flour, then dip into the milk, then roll in flour again.
8. Carefully drop each piece into hot oil. If the shortening is hot enough, the chicken will float. Depending on the size of your kettle, a whole chicken might be 4-6 batches; just don't overload the kettle.
9. Larger pieces may need to be turned over.
10. Remove pieces with tongs when golden brown; place on paper towels to drain.
11. Serve hot, but it's great cold the next day!
12. Recycled shortening: Crisco, for example, comes in a 3-lb. "can" (in quotes because it's cardboard, not metal). The first time you make this chicken, use a full can. When the cooking is done and the shortening has cooled somewhat, pour the liquid into a container (metal coffee can, or similar) except for the brown sludge at the bottom (residue from flour, etc,) which is thrown out. Save the shortening, covered, in your refrigerator until next time. Add enough fresh shortening to the kettle to replace the part you threw out. P.S. When starting with all fresh shortening, adding a little bacon grease will improve flavor of your first batch of chicken.

Reviews

[Nicoleg]

this is a really good basic recipe, I tried this and a couple other recipes to find a good one for the 4th. I perfer a little more seasonings though, thanks for the recipe!

[chef in training, lee]

i suggest instead of just salt use a brine instead pat dry after having it in for an hour then do the rest i think it works better and makes it more juicy great recipe though

[Terrylynn]

Made this the other night and it was great. I didn't make it in the deep fryer instead I cooked the chicken in the frying pan with only a little shortening. There was only my son and I so I only cooked 2 breasts, I figured waiting for the deep fryer to heat was to long for what I was cooking. I will be making this again. Thank you