Trisha's Best Fried Chicken Ideas

By: Nikhita Mahtani

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Trisha's Best Fried Chicken Ideas

Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate

Trisha Yearwood sifts flour, as seen on Food Network's Trisha's Southern Kitchen, Season 4.

Photo by: Ray Kachatorian ©2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

Ray Kachatorian, 2013, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved.

There's never a bad time for fried chicken. Soft, succulent pieces of meat, each one coated in a crunchy, salty outer layer — what could be better? No one understands that like Trisha Yearwood, who comes up with fun, unique ways to cook fried chicken on her TV show, Trisha's Southern Kitchen. From her favorite fried chicken tips to ways to make this decadent dish healthier, here are Trisha's best fried chicken ideas.

Un-Fried Chicken

Photo by: Matt Armendariz ©2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

Matt Armendariz, 2014, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved

1. "Un-fry" your chicken

Trisha uses buttermilk (which is actually surprisingly lower in fat than regular milk) and multigrain panko breadcrumbs to create a lighter version of this Southern staple. She recommends baking it with additions like hot sauce, crushed red pepper and lemon zest so you get all the flavor of regular fried chicken without the calories.

Get the Recipe: Trisha's Un-Fried Chicken
Gwen's Fried Chicken with Milk Gravy

2. Use the oil that your chicken has fried in to make the gravy

Trisha learned from her mom, Gwen, to use the brown leftover bits of fried chicken with the oil it was made in to create indulgent gravy. All you have to do is add milk and flour to the skillet, and you can actually taste bits of chicken in the sauce.

3. To make sure that the oil is hot enough, sprinkle some flour on the skillet

Trisha notes on her TV show that for making an impeccable fried chicken, temperature is key. The perfect temperature for the oil is 375 degrees F, and the best way to see if the oil is ready for the chicken is by sprinkling some flour on it. If it starts to sizzle, you're good to go.

Want more of Trisha's fried chicken secrets? Click play on the video below, so you, too, can make the perfect dish every time.

Trisha's Fried Chicken Secrets
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