How to Fry Chicken in an Electric Skillet

Before ordering fried chicken from your favorite fast food joint, fry chicken in an electric skillet for a homemade dinner. Fried chicken is a classic southern food that has many recipe variations. An electric skillet is the preferred cooking medium to use because it allows for even heat distribution. Fried chicken requires quite a bit of preparation time, and is not a fast meal solution. However, making your own fried chicken is rewarding and it will save you money by avoiding spending money at the fast food drive-through.

Things You'll Need

• 2 ½ to 3 lb chicken (cut apart)
• Paper towels
• ½ cup flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. paprika
• 1/3 tsp. pepper
• Mixing bowl
• ¾ cup vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Wash the chicken pieces under cold water. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.

2. Add flour, salt, paprika and pepper to a mixing bowl. Sift the dry ingredients until blended well.

3. Pre-heat the electric skillet to 350 degrees. Add the vegetable oil to the skillet.

4. Dip the chicken into the flour mixture. Place the chicken in the electric skillet once the vegetable oil begins to simmer.

5. Fry the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes or until the chicken browns lightly. Reduce the heat to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Cover the electric skillet with a lid. Simmer the chicken for 30 to 40 minutes.

7. Turn the chicken while it cooks in the skillet. This will ensure that the chicken cooks evenly on all sides.

8. Add water to the skillet if the pan begins to scorch. Continue to add water as needed while frying the chicken.

9. Insert a food thermometer into the chicken. The chicken is safe to eat when it reaches a temperature of 165 degrees.

10. Remove the lid during the last 5 minutes of cooking time. This will crisp the fried chicken.

11. Serve the chicken immediately. Avoid placing the chicken in a bowl or container because this will not allow for air circulation and the fried crust will fall off the chicken.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not overfill the electric skillet with chicken. The chicken will not fry appropriately.

• Use a liquid marinade to marinate the chicken before frying it in the electric skillet. Milk, buttermilk or salted water are popular marinades. The chicken will need to marinate for at least two hours.

References

• David Lee's Primer on Southern Fried Chicken
• Double Dipped Fried Chicken Recipe
• Presto: Electrick Skillet Recipes: Fried Chicken