Juicy chicken gets a crisp coating of crushed pork rinds and classic seasonings to create fried chicken that is truly legendary. Make it once and it’ll become a favorite. The best part? The crust stays crispy, even with refrigeration, so leftovers are exceptional. For the best chicken, monitor the oil temperature with a candy thermometer. Alternately, watch the oil carefully to ensure the crust doesn’t cook too quickly, fry the chicken as described below, and then bake until the juices run clear when you insert the tip a knife into the chicken all the way to the bone.
Ingredients List
- 4 (4 oz) bone-in, skin on chicken thighs
- Pinch sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1¼ cup (2 oz) pork panko or finely crushed fried pork rinds
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tsp dried oregano or thyme
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- lard or peanut oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, toss the chicken thighs with 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Let sit for 30 minutes at room temperature
- Preheat oven to 300ºF (149°C). In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the panko, Parmesan, Old Bay, and oregano with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper.
- Heat 1-1/2 inches oil to a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium-high until it reaches 365ºF. (If you don’t have a thermometer, the oil is ready when a bit of the breading dropped into it bubbles and sizzles steadily)
- Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
- Working one at a time, dip each piece of chicken in the egg mixture to coat, then toss it in the pork panko mixture until evenly coated. Shake off the excess coating, then carefully place the piece of chicken in the oil, skin side down. Repeat with 1 more piece of chicken (do not crowd the skillet). Cook, adjusting the heat as needed to keep a steady sizzle and maintain 365ºF (185°C), until the chicken is deep golden brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip each piece and cook until the other side is deep golden brown, about 5 minutes more. Place the chicken on the prepared rack on the sheet pan and place it in the hot oven. Repeat with the remaining chicken and cook the chicken until an instant-read thermometer stuck into its center reads 160ºF (71°C) , about 10 minutes. Leave the second batch pieces in the oven as long as the first ones, about 10 minutes total.
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Credits
RecipeEric Lundy
PhotographyErin Ng
