It’s hard to deny that Paula makes the best fried chicken in the world. It’s what put her on the map all those years ago, and fortunately for us, she’s never been stingy with her world-renowned recipe.
We’re walking you through making it yourself here! Before long, you’ll have fried chicken that will taste just like it came out of Paula’s own kitchen. Are you ready to get cooking?
Start by gathering your tools and ingredients. You’ll need the following:
- 2½-lb chicken, cut into pieces
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup hot red pepper sauce
- Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- deep pot
- medium bowl
- peanut oil, for frying
First, choose your chicken. Paula always says that young, organic chickens tend to stay more moist and juicy. Once you’ve separated your chicken, fill your pot with the peanut oil, but no more than half full. Preheat it to 350˚F.
Next beat the eggs and add the hot sauce. We know a cup of hot sauce sounds awfully spicy, but the heat cooks out, leaving just that delicious flavor. Season the chicken with the house seasoning. If you aren’t able to buy House Seasoning, you can get the house seasoning recipe here.
Pro-tip: If you have the time and you’re frying the chicken up for dinner, season it in the morning and put it in the refrigerator. It will give it time to soak up the flavors. This is a lesson passed down to Paula from her grandmother, and it makes a big difference!
Next up, dip the seasoned chicken into the egg mixture before coating it completely in the flour. Place the floured chicken in the pre-heated oil, and let it fry until it’s brown and crisp in the middle. Just remember that dark meat takes longer to cook than white meat. It should take about 13 to 14 minutes for the dark meat, while the white meat will cook in about 8 to 10 minutes.
For four tips from Paula for frying the best chicken ever, click here! How many of you have tried Paula’s southern fried chicken recipe before? Let us know in the comments below!
