Fried Chicken

Bilko's spice mix is a closely guarded secret, but Donna King shared with us its fundamental ingredients as well as the basic technique—a long marination, at least 24 hours. This results in some of the juiciest chicken we've ever eaten. The chicken must also rest five or ten minutes after being dredged in the seasoned flour to, as King told us, "get doughy." The Bon Ton recipe calls for Ac'cent (monosodium glutamate) in both the marinade and the dredging mixture. We tested it with and without, and the chicken mainly tasted saltier with the Ac'cent, which some people preferred.

Deviled is a southern term for a dish that is highly seasoned. To make life easier, have the butcher cut up the chicken, and use a small chicken — around three pounds — so that it will cook through quickly. If you're cutting it yourself, start by going along both sides of the backbone with kitchen shears or a large knife. Once the backbone has been removed, cut the chicken into eight pieces (two breasts, wings, legs and thighs); include the top third of each breast with the wings for a more generous serving. The chicken needs to marinate for at least a day, so plan accordingly. See how to joint a chicken.

Not much goes better with fried chicken than braised mustard greens or turnip greens, hot biscuits and sweet pickles. For a perfect dessert, serve squares of warm gingerbread with whipped cream. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe makes very dark, mahogany-colored drumsticks. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Chicharrones are cracklings — the flavorful solids that are left over from making lard; the resemblance these little morsels of chicken bear to them accounts for the name "chicken cracklings." Chicharrones de pollo is a typically South American dish, variations of which can be found all over that continent and up into the Central American peninsula. The chicken is chpped up Chinese-style — bones, skin and all — into small pieces. Then it is usually marinated, rolled in wheat or corn flour, and deep fried — although sometimes it is not marinated, and sometimes it is fried without any breading at all.

Chef Lisa Ahier likes the flavor of Key limes or Mexican limes, which she can buy locally and year-round, for the marinade below. But even if you use regular lime juice, you'll love this chicken, which is as delicious at room temperature as it is hot. In fact, Gourmet's food editors couldn't get enough of it.

In this recipe, the oven does the frying, eliminating most of the fat, and all of the messy splatter of traditional pan-frying. This quick and easy supper will be a sure family favorite, especially if you serve it with steamed green beans, sliced tomatoes, and biscuits.

The two-pronged cooking method used for these wings —incorporating both braising and deep-frying — is a takeoff on the Chinese technique of steaming, then frying. We think it keeps the meat unbelievably tender while getting the skin supercrispy. Be sure to allow 2 hours for the wings to marinate.

"Last summer my husband and I took a day trip to the coast of New Hampshire," writes Perrin Enriquez of Cambridge, Massachusetts. "We found a fabulous place in Portsmouth called Lindbergh's Crossing, in a rustic building on the water. I'd love to get the recipes for the amazing fried rabbit and garlic mashed potatoes we had in the upstairs wine bar." For convenience, we substituted chicken for the rabbit used at the restaurant. The gravy can be made ahead of time, but the chicken should be fried just before serving.

This southwestern version of fried chicken needs only two sides: purchased Mexican-style rice pilaf and a sauté of bell peppers and carrots. Flan with sliced kiwi would be a nice finish. Look for ancho chili powder in the spice section of your supermarket.

Meet Chris Morocco’s ideal chicken sandwich—with dill mayo, sweet pickles, shredded lettuce, and a squishy bun.

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, this smothered fried chicken with polenta and herb gremolata is perfect for a dinner party. 

Crispy bite-size chicken and chewy rice cakes are made downright irresistible with a sticky, sweet, garlicky glaze. 

Free up your oven and make the case for crispy, crunchy, sage and thyme-y fried chicken this Thanksgiving.

These crunchy tenders will give you tortilla chip vibes in the best way (and they just so happen to be gluten-free).

This chicken karaage recipe promises full flavor from a soy-and-sake marinade and combines wheat flour, rice flour, and cornstarch for a super crisp crust.

Saucy and glossy. Sweet, spicy, and sticky. Shatteringly crisp. And probably more exciting than the halftime show.

It took poet Kwame Alexander twelve tries to recreate his late mother’s perfectly crispy-juicy fried chicken. Luckily, he wrote down the recipe for you.