My Big Fat Greek Fried Chicken

Total Time: 26 hrs Preparation Time: 25 hrs Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 frying chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces (or 16 drumsticks)
• 7 3/4 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
• 1 fresh lemon, cut into thin slices
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon seasoning (my big fat greek seasoning)
• canola oil

Recipe

• 1 note: do not substitute my big fat greek seasoning with any other seasoning! prepare the breading exactly as written (step 1): rinse and blot chicken; cut chicken into 8 pieces (or 10 pieces with breast portions cut in half).
• 2 pour 7 3/4 cups cold water into a large wide saucepan (with an accompanying lid), then add 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons fine sea salt, and slices of 1 thinly sliced lemon; stir to mix well; add chicken pieces; cover and transfer to refrigerator; marinate chicken between 4-36 hours in refrigerator, turning chicken as needed (marinate 36 hours for the most tender, flavorful chicken). note: for a quicker stovetop marination method, pierce chicken pieces well with a fork, then heat the marinade with chicken, covered, over low heat for 20-30 minutes (turn chicken once midway through).
• 3 measure the breading ingredients into a large sealable container, such as a glad food storage container or a ziploc bag: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon fine sea salt and 1 tablespoon my big fat greek seasoning; seal the container with mixture; shake well until thoroughly combined.
• 4 remove chicken from marinade with tongs; place one piece chicken at a time into the breading mixture container; seal container firmly; shake chicken gently in all motions to thoroughly coat chicken until evenly and generously breaded; place breaded chicken piece onto a rack to rest; repeat with remaining pieces chicken; allow breaded chicken to absorb the breading for a few minutes before frying.
• 5 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).
• 6 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).
• 7 fry chicken between 16-20 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on chicken portions/sizes (juices should run clear when chicken is done); for soft breading: place cooked drained chicken into a large ziploc bag to steam (the steam will soften the breading). before serving, reheat chicken if needed, in sealed ziploc bag in a microwave oven, using the same setting for reheating 1-2 frozen pastries (just before bag will begin to swell from heat and steam). for crispy breading: place chicken on wire rack over baking sheet. transfer into a preheated 170°f oven until all chicken has been fried.
• 8 maintain frying fat temperature for remaining chicken; repeat the same cooking/steaming or warming procedures for the remaining chicken.
• 9 serve with lemon wedges if desired, for a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
• 10 enjoy!