Chef John’s Top 10 Chicken Recipes

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Better-Than-Takeout Lemon Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class 10 min

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Chef John’s Fried Whole Chicken 1 min

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Garlic Lemon Crispy Chicken Wings | Chef John’s Cooking Class 9 min

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Chef John’s Easy Fried Chicken Recipe 9 min

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Lemon Crispy Roasted Chicken 2 min

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Chef John’s Chicken Manchurian 4 min

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Black Tea Roasted Chicken Legs 1 min

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Asian cuisine

Easy

Chef John’s Easy Fried Chicken Recipe

Chef John Zhang

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5 stars rating if you like it!

Done

This is the crispiest, juiciest, homemade fried chicken you’ll ever tasted! As you bring it closer you can smell the spices — garlic, onion, pepper, and even the smoky paprika. The crust cracks audibly and reveals juicy chicken that is as flavorful as that irresistible crust.

Chef John Zhang shares tips on how to make perfect Fried Chicken at home.

Chef John’s Top 10 Chicken Recipes

7/10

PREMIUM

General Tso’s Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class 11 min

NOW PLAYING

PREMIUM

Sweet and Sour Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class 9 min

NOW PLAYING

PREMIUM

Better-Than-Takeout Lemon Chicken | Chef John’s Cooking Class 10 min

NOW PLAYING

Teriyaki Chicken Fried Rice 3 min

NOW PLAYING

Chef John’s Fried Whole Chicken 1 min

NOW PLAYING

PREMIUM

Garlic Lemon Crispy Chicken Wings | Chef John’s Cooking Class 9 min

NOW PLAYING

PREMIUM

Chef John’s Easy Fried Chicken Recipe 9 min

NOW PLAYING

Lemon Crispy Roasted Chicken 2 min

NOW PLAYING

PREMIUM

Chef John’s Chicken Manchurian 4 min

NOW PLAYING

Black Tea Roasted Chicken Legs 1 min

NOW PLAYING

Recipe

PRE TIME: 35 min

COOKING TIME: 10 min

TOTAL TIME: 45 min

2 SERVING

Ingredients:

2 large Chicken Leg Quarters
Marinade
0.5 tsp. Salt
2 tbsp. White Wine
0.5 tsp. Five Spice Powder
0.5 tsp. Black Pepper Powder
0.5 tsp. Onion Powder
0.5 tsp. Granulated Garlic
0.5 tsp. Garlic Salt
0.5 tsp. White Pepper
0.5 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
0.5 tsp. Cumin Powder
1/2 Lemon, Juiced
1 Egg White
Fry Mix
4 tbsp. Flour
2 tbsp. Corn Starch

Directions:

Step 1

Clean the chicken and dry it thoroughly. Put the chicken skin side down and make a shallow cut along the bone. Turn it over and use the tip of your knife to make a few shallow cut all around the surface (This will help the chicken absorb the flavor in short amount of time). Transfer the chicken to a large bowl and add all [Marinade] ingredients. Mix well and massage about 2-3 minutes.

Step 2

Add [Fry Mix] and cover all over the chicken leg quarters.

Step 3

Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over low heat to 120-150°C / 250-300°F. Fry the chicken with skin side up, flipping once, until browned, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oil.

Step 4

Re-fry the chicken at higher temp (150-180°C / 300-350°F) about 2 minutes.

Step 5

Season with additional pepper and chili powder to taste. Enjoy!

Final Notes

- Egg white makes it crispier and helps the flour coating stick to the chicken like culinary glue. - White wine evaporates quickly in the frying oil, which help to set the coating and creates flaky layers. - Cornstarch vs flour ratio: 1:2. Cornstarch in the flour makes the crust crispier. - Double frying - the "secret" to crispier fried chicken is to fry the chicken not just once, but twice.