Unique Flavors and Spices for Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is a traditional dish in many families and cultures. This savory dish became somewhat of a national treasure with the birth of fast food chicken eateries like Kentucky Fried Chicken and Popeye's. Although it is always tasty and scrumptious, as with any recipe, I'm constantly looking for ways to add a little flavor and creativity to a common dish. Here are a few ways to "spice" up your fried chicken.

Basic Fried Chicken Recipe

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:
8 pieces of chicken (clean and dry)
1 cup of vegetable or olive oil
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of seasoned salt
1 teaspoon of pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in skillet at medium heat.

2. Mix dry ingredients together in a resealable plastic or paper bag.

3. Coat chicken with dry ingredients by shaking chicken in the bag two to three pieces at a time. Shake off excess mixture before placing chicken in the skillet.

4. Lower heat slightly, and carefully place chicken in skillet for about 10 minutes for wings, and 20 minutes for larger pieces. Turn chicken half way through the frying process. Chicken should be a golden brown before removing from heat.

5. After removing from heat, check to make sure chicken is done on the inside.

6. Place chicken on a plate covered with a paper towel. Place paper towel on top as well to hold in heat and remove excess oil.

Baste Chicken Before Frying

Before coating chicken with flour mixture, baste chicken with a tasty sauce or dressing. Some choices include hot sauce (for hot and spicy fried chicken), mustard (for chicken with a kick), Italian dressing or sweet/sour sauce.

Marinade Chicken

Before frying chicken, try marinading it. First, clean chicken and place it in a resealable bag, baking pan or storage container. Pour marinade over chicken and store in refrigerator overnight. Some tasty marinade options include teriyaki sauce, sweet tea, lemonade, buttermilk and orange juice. Before frying, baste chicken with marinade again for added flavor.

Season Chicken With Unique Spices

Try adding some new spices or herbs to your recipe for a change in taste. Dried mustard, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper, rosemary, oregano and thyme can add strong flavor to fried chicken.