The Kitchenshrink recently got an e-mail from Sandi who asked for help makingfried chicken. She said,”the crust either separates from the chicken or comes off in the pan.” Although she used the traditional three ingredient coating method, there are a few changes in technique that may help. First of all make sure the chicken pieces are dry, coat them with flour (I like to use Wondrainstantized flour) or cornstarch and shake off any excess. Then dip them in beaten egg or buttermilk, or a combination of the two, and finally coat them with bread crumbs, panko, cornmeal, or cereal crumbs. Pat them firmly and set them aside at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes for the layers to bond. Heat the oil or fat until hot before adding the chicken and don’t try to turn the chicken until the bottom is the shade of golden you want. Gently loosen the pieces with a wide spatula and transfer them to a plate. Heatmore oil or fat inthe pan until hot and add the chicken pieces, uncooked side down;cook over medium-low heat without turning untilbrown on the other side and fully cooked inside.
