After weighing all the suggestions given, the first I decided to try was
buttermilk and seasoned flour.
I skinned and trimmed the fat from two chicken legs and two thighs, then
soaked in buttermilk for several hours in the refrigerator.
Next I prepared my usual seasoned mix of all-purpose flour, salt, pepper,
granulated garlic, paprika, poultry seasoning, and a bit of thyme.
I let the excess buttermilk drip off the chicken pieces, but still left a
good coating of it on the meat. I rolled each piece in the flour, allowing
it to pick up as much flour as possible, then air dried on a rack for half
an hour before frying.
A buttermilk base makes coatings brown more quickly, so I fried the four
pieces in canola for only about 5-6 minutes per side. The outside was
beautifully brown and crispy. I removed the chicken to a rack in a shallow
pan and baked in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes to complete the cooking.
Excess oil dripped off into the pan.
Verdict: The chicken was delicious, well flavored, with a nice crunchy
coating.
I might try using cornstarch for the coating, but I doubt that I'll try any
of the other options like egg wash, crumbs, etc. I didn't really want the
texture of crumbs, and the buttermilk and flour seemed to give me exactly
what I was looking for. The next time I'm going to try double dipping in
the buttermilk and flour on half the pieces just for a comparison.
I know this isn't fat free, but removing the skin reduced the overall fat
content as well as the animal fat considerably.
I would recommend it. And thanks to all of you for your suggestions!
--
Wayne Boatwright *¿*
____________________________________________
Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974
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