Long before there was The Colonel, there was panfried parboiled chicken. Now, I don't know where Ma got the recipe from, all I know is that she's the only one I knew who made it. And let me tell you-- IT WAS DELISH!!!
Many years ago I asked Ma to show me how she made it. It had been years so she wrote down the steps to act as a reminder for herself. Rather funny though- she wrote it in shorthand! I asked her if she was making it a mystery. She said no, it was just easier than long hand.
As we stood there in her kitchen, I couldn't help but smile. Just the smells alone brought back good memories of dinner at the table, with Ma's fried chicken, some mashed potatoes and burnt gravy and green beans.
Ma was very proud of her fried chicken and we all loved it! For this dish,you want plain bread crumbs, either packaged or homemade but they must be very dry.
The chicken:
- 2–3 lb chicken pieces (legs, thighs, wings, or breasts)
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
The coating:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 cups fine dry breadcrumbs (or panko for extra crunch)
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano or thyme (optional)
Vegetable, peanut, or canola oil for frying
- If the chicken isn't already cut up, do so before par boiling.
- Place the chicken in the pot, all pieces, along with salt, pepper, garlic powder and the bay leaf and bring to a gentle boil, simmering for:
- Wings: 10–12 minutes
- Drumsticks: 15 minutes
- Thighs: 15–18 minutes
- Breasts: 12–15 minutes
- Remove the chicken and let it drain well.
- Pat dry with paper towels and cool for about 10–15 minutes.
Prepare the coating while the chicken cooks.
- Mix the flour with half of the seasonings.
- Beat the eggs with the milk.
- Mix the breadcrumbs with the remaining seasonings.
Coat each piece in this order, making sure to press the breadcrumbs firmly into the chicken
- Flour
- Egg mixture
- Breadcrumbs
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry the chicken in batches for 4–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until the coating is deep golden brown and crisp.
- Because the chicken has been parboiled, you're mainly crisping the coating and reheating the meat.
- Drain on a wire rack or paper towels; let rest for 5 minutes before serving
- Patting the chicken dry after parboiling helps the coating stick better.
- Even though the chicken is parboiled, it's good practice to check that the thickest pieces reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) after frying.