How to: fry chicken WITHOUT a deep fryer

That typically American fried chicken is so delicious that you could even build an entire restaurant chain around it, but it also gives you a behind like a side table. Can it be a little less indulgent? Absolutely, with these tips! You don’t need half a liter of frying oil, just one knob of butter.

Here’s the secret: the chicken spends hours in a saltwater bath. This keeps it wonderfully juicy while it cooks in the oven. It owes its crispy crust to a layer of flour and a tiny bit of butter. So there’s no need for scary little pans of wobbling hot oil on your stove, a smoking deep fryer in the utility room and the smell of a football canteen in your living room—do the math and count your blessings.

How to make fried chicken without a deep fryer

Mix a glass of hot water and two tablespoons of salt in a bowl. Once the salt has dissolved, place the chicken pieces in the bowl. Now add enough cold water to cover the chicken. You can add ice cubes to cool the water down even faster. Cover and place in the refrigerator for eight hours.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Remove the chicken from the water and dry it thoroughly.

Put the butter in an oven dish large enough for the chicken to fit comfortably. The pieces of chicken should not touch each other, otherwise they will not become crispy enough. Place the dish with the butter in the oven to preheat.

Put the flour, salt and pepper in a large plastic bag. A large ziplock bag is handy, but if you don’t have one, an ordinary (clean) shopping bag works too. Add the chicken pieces one at a time and shake them in the bag so they are coated with flour on all sides. Shake off any excess flour.

Place the chicken in the hot oven dish, skin-side down. The chicken should look as if it has a light dusting of powder; too much flour will make it tough.

Put it in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy. Then turn the chicken over. Bake the other side for another 20 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper.

Read also:

• Haute friture alert: you can now buy chicken nugget Crocs
• World first: KFC is going fully vegetarian for a while
• You need this gadget if you don’t like greasy chicken fingers

Source: Food52