How to Make Fried Chicken With a Pressure Cooker

Pressure fried chicken can be prepared in a fraction of the time that skillet fried chicken takes.

Southern fried chicken is traditionally cooked in a cast iron skillet. However, in order to turn this Southern delicacy into a fast food item, Harland Sanders popularized a technique of pressure frying chicken which cooks the meat in 10 minutes instead of 30. Pressure cooked fried chicken will have a crisper coating and juicy and tender meat. Although household pressure cookers should not be operated with more than 1/4 cup of oil, frying the chicken pieces before finishing them in the pressure cooker will yield satisfying results.

Things You'll Need

• Pressure cooker
• Medium bowl
• 1 cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons hot sauce
• 1 gallon size zip top bag
• 1/4 cup white flour
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon sage
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 chicken cut into pieces
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• Tongs

Instructions

1. Pour the milk and hot sauce into a bowl and add the chicken pieces.

2. Place the flours, herbs, spices and salt into the zip top bag.

3. Seal the bag and shake it well to mix the ingredients.

4. Add the chicken pieces to the bag of seasoned flour and reseal the bag.

5. Shake the bag again to evenly coat the chicken pieces.

6. Add the oil to the pressure cooker and place the cooker pot over medium-high heat.

7. Add the chicken pieces to the hot oil. Do not place the pressure cooker's lid on the pot yet.

8. Brown the chicken on all sides in a skillet.

9. Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and carefully place the cooker's lid on and seal it firmly.

10. Place the sealed pressure cooker back onto the stove over medium heat until it comes up to pressure.

11. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes.

12. Remove the pressure cooker from the stove and open the pressure valve.

13. Open the pressure cooker lid once all of the steam has escaped from the pot. Serve the fried chicken.

Tips & Warnings

• Before you use your pressure cooker, read the manual.

• Do not add more than 1/4 cup of oil to your pressure cooker. Hot oil may cause the cooker's gasket to deteriorate and cause your pressure cooker to explode.

References

• Corbin Kentucky: Harland Sanders Cafe & Museum
• Fabulous Foods: Pressure Cooker Fried Chicken
• Southern Fried Chicken: How to Make Pressure Cooker Fried Chicken
• Miss Vickie: What You Need To Know About Pressure Frying