Spicy Fried Chicken

After a long day of work, there are few things that compare to a cold stiff drink and some homemade fried chicken. The defining characteristic of chicken as a protein in a meal is how mild the taste is, which lends itself well to being breaded, as is the case in fried chicken. Because chicken is a mild taste it can also have a range of spices added to it without overwhelming it. This recipe aims to combine these two ideas in a delectable, crunchy shell. Makes four pieces.

2 cups of flour
4 chicken breasts, deboned
2 eggs
A splash of milk (preferably buttermilk or whole milk)
Vegetable oil
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Celery salt
Paprika
Crushed red pepper
Dried parsley
Dried Sage
Dried marjoram
Onion powder

Place flour in a bowl. Add spices to flour one by one. The best way to do this is by adding some spice, mixing up the flour, and continue mixing in a spice until the spice is visually notable inside the flour. The mixture should be a shade of light red with black and green flakes throughout. Once this is done, begin heating oil in a pan at medium heat. The oil should be able to reach at least halfway up the breast without risking an oil spill because of adding chicken or flipping it. While the oil is heating to cooking temperature, in a separate bowl, crack the eggs into a bowl and mix in with the milk. The color of the mixture should still be yellow, though a softer yellow like the color of custard. Dip a breast into the egg-milk mixture and cover thoroughly. Remove and add to flour-spice mixture making sure the chicken is completely covered. Repeat this process once more for this particular piece, and then for each remaining piece of chicken. By now, the oil should be sufficiently hot to fry the chicken. To check this, add a drop of the egg-milk mixture into the oil. If it immediately begins to cook, the oil is ready. If not, wait another minute and try again. Once the oil is ready, gently place pieces into the pan according to how many will fit in the pan without crowding. Flip each piece once a minute, until golden brown and crisp.

There will be leftover flour and egg-milk which can be combined to make a batter which can be directly added to the still hot oil to make batter biscuits as opposed to throwing the two mixtures away, as they cannot be stored safely because of contact with raw chicken. Simply add together the mixtures, adding flour as needed to thicken the batter to the point of being somewhat solid. Directly add pieces into oil, and periodically rotate them. Remove when golden brown.

While this recipe directly aims to compliment the mild taste of chicken, it can easily be adapted to other meats by changing the spices to those which compliment meat. Basil, black pepper, and garlic powder pair well with beef; cumin, onion powder, and thyme can be used to make fried lamb chops; sage, paprika, and dry mustard powder can help turn bacon into the magical experience that is chicken-fried bacon.