BACONATED FRIED CHICKEN

Baconated Fried Chicken image

My recipe for "baconated" (bacon-marinated) Southern fried chicken. The bacon fat helps the skin cook up crisp, and seal in the juices. The whole eggs compliment the bacon flavor perfectly, and lend a crispness to the breading. Try it... you'll love it.

Provided by The Spice Guru

Time P1DT1h30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

8 -12 pieces cut-up fryer chickens (Foster Farms)
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup filtered hickory bacon drippings
4 large eggs, beaten
4 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
1 3/4 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon lemon pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
peanut oil

Steps:

NOTE: STRAIN HOT BACON DRIPPINGS THROUGH A FINE SIEVE TO REMOVE ALL DEBRIS BEFORE USING. USE REAL ALLSPICE, NOT A CINNAMON//CLOVE/NUTMEG SUBSTITUTE.
PLACE chicken into a large saucepan (with accompanying lid); WEARING disposable gloves, sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and freshly ground pepper; RUB seasonings well into chicken; POUR bacon drippings over chicken; RUB again until chicken is thoroughly coated; REFRIGERATE for a minimum of 2 hours to overnight, turning as needed.
IN a large bowl add the BREADING ingredients except the flour and cornstarch; COMBINE ingredients well using a whisk; ADD the flour and cornstarch; WHISK well until mixture is thoroughly blended.
IN a medium to large bowl, beat 4 large eggs; ADD the chicken pieces and turn to coat well; TRANSFER a few pieces chicken at a time into the breading container; ROLL chicken in breading until well-coated; GENTLY shake excess breading from chicken; PLACE breaded chicken on a platter and repeat procedures with remaining chicken; LET chicken rest a few minutes to absorb breading.
ADD the manufacturer's recommended amount frying oil for deep-frying; PLACE deep-fryer basket into place in deep-fryer; PREHEAT fryer to 315°F (or preheat enough fat to immerse chicken completely in deep heavy stovetop pot between 315°F to 325°F, using a standard deep-fryer thermometer to gauge).
CAREFULLY drop each piece breaded chicken one at a time, gently into the deep-fryer basket without crowding (if a standard size home fryer is used, add no more than 2-3 pieces at a time); (if stovetop frying, gently place breaded chicken pieces into hot oil using tongs, turning once halfway through frying duration).
FRY chicken between 15-18 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on chicken portions/sizes (juices should run clear when chicken is done); BLOT chicken lightly to absorb excess oil.
MAINTAIN frying fat temperature for each new batch and repeat the same cooking/steaming procedures for the remaining chicken.
REHEAT chicken before serving, on grill-inserted broiler pan(s) in a preheated oven until warmed (keep oven temperature at 170°F (do not keep chicken in oven over 25 minutes, since it will lose moisture and flavor at that point).
SERVE and enjoy!