Crispy Fried Chicken

Summer is filled with parties for everyone. Who wants to stay cocooned inside, all alone, when it’s warm and beautiful outside? No one so everyone tries to organize a bunch of fun gatherings. On top of it, it gives us an excuse to finally see all these people we neglect during the winter because we’re too caught up in staying warm!

This summer, a friend who’s Haitian hosted one of the parties I went to. I don’t know if you’ve ever been to a Haitian party but Haitians can hold a serious cook down!! My friend’s mother was there with us, and she brought the food along with her. It was mainly rice and chicken, but man was the chicken good! No one can cook a good fried chicken like the Haitians can.

Coming back home after the party, I was possessed with a major craving for more of the amazing chicken. I know it’s not the healthiest but depending on how you make it, it can be sort of not so bad. Because I needed a quick fix, I didn’t have time to ask for the official recipe so I decided to recreate my own version of it. And it was pretty good I have to say. I can’t say it was better than the real version, but it was good enough for people to eat about 5 pieces of chicken each; now THAT’S a BIG appetite!!!

Crispy Fried Chicken

Makes 4 about servings

INGREDIENTS

About 12 chicken thighs

3 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

2 tsp salt & pepper

1 tsp smoke paprika

2 cups canola or peanut oil

PREPARATION

Preheat your oven at 350˚F. Take out a baking sheet and pour the oil on top of it.

In 3 separate large bowls, put, in order: the flour mixed with the salt & pepper; the eggs, beaten; the panko crumbs mixed with the paprika.

Take 1 chicken thigh at a time and cover with the flour, then the egg mixture and, finally, the panko mixture. Put on the baking sheet.

Cook in the oven for 25 minutes then turn and cook for another 25.

Note: If you’re not in a hurry and are willing to take on the task, you can deep-fry you chicken for an even crunchier effect. Nothing beats deep-frying for crunchiness. I’m just too lazy to get to it!