Unlike many fried chicken recipes that use a combination of wet and dry coatings, this one, passed down from the author’s mother, Barbara Alexander, employs just generously spiced and seasoned flour. This allows for a thinner but still super-crispy coating. “My late mother’s fried chicken recipe was a link to my past—and to my daughter’s future. Frying chicken right can feel like riding a bike backward. Or writing a sonnet. It’s hard, sometimes elusive. But there is a form to guide you, and with practice you can find the flow.” Read more about this fried chicken recipe and it’s significance to Kwame here.
What you’ll need
Deep-Fry Thermometer
$18 At Amazon
Dutch Oven
$90 At Amazon
Cast Iron Skillet
$35 At Amazon
Wire Rack
$23 At BA Market
Recipe information
Yield
4 Servings
Ingredients
special equipment
Preparation
Step 1
Mix together cumin, smoked paprika, 3 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ¾ tsp. garlic powder, and ½ tsp. pepper in a small bowl.
Step 2
Arrange chicken on a rimmed baking sheet; sprinkle all over with spice mixture. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes, or chill, uncovered, up to 12 hours.
Step 3
Combine flour, curry powder, paprika, and remaining 2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 1 tsp. Morton kosher salt, 2 tsp. garlic powder, and 2 tsp. pepper in a medium paper bag. Close bag and shake well to combine. Add chicken to bag, close, and shake well to coat.
Step 4
Pour oil into a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven to come 1" up sides; clip thermometer to sides of pan and heat oil over medium-high until thermometer registers 350°. Working in 2 batches and returning oil to 350° between batches, cook chicken pieces, turning halfway through, until deep golden brown, 10–15 minutes per batch (an instant-read thermometer inserted into each piece should register 160° for light meat and 165° for dark). Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack and let cool slightly before serving.
