Also, try this popcorn chicken recipe and these fried chicken bites for more finger-food fun! If you have fried chicken often, it may be tempting to use your old standby recipe, but trust us, this version with coconut oil and Thai flavors is worthy of making it into your dinner rotation! For the fried chicken:
Chicken drumsticks and bone-in chicken thighs: These cuts of chicken will produce the juiciest fried chicken. You can choose skin on or off, it’s up to you! Coconut oil: This is what you’ll use to fry your chicken in. If you can’t find it with the other oils, try the health food section of your grocery store. Roasted peanuts: You’ll crush the peanuts into small pieces and use them as part of the coating for the chicken — it’s delish! Panko bread crumbs: You can use any kind of bread crumbs, however, Panko bread crumbs are super crunchy and make for an excellent coating for fried foods. Flour: This will help to dry the chicken before you douse it in the egg and crumb coating. Egg: You only need 1 egg to help keep the breading good and stuck to your chicken.
For the Thai honey butter sauce:
Honey: Sticky and sweet, use ½ cup of honey as the base of your sauce. Butter: This adds a rich, smooth texture to the sauce. Soy sauce: Dash some soy sauce in there for a depth of flavor and some salty goodness. Red curry paste: Here comes a touch of heat! Add 2 teaspoons or start with one teaspoon and adjust as needed, depending on your preferred spice level. Fish sauce: This ingredient will give a savory, umami taste to the sauce. Ginger & garlic: A sharpness from the garlic and ginger will have your taste buds singing. Use fresh and finely mince or grate both.
To give you some confidence in the kitchen, here are a couple safety tips to follow when handling hot oil and fried food:
Never leave a pot of oil unattended: The oil will start to smoke at 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit and will catch fire at 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a candy thermometer attached to the side of the pot to accurately judge the temperature of the oil, because you want to keep it at 300-350 degrees Fahrenheit for this fried chicken recipe. Anything that goes into hot oil must be dry: Any drop of water will cause the oil to splatter. Hot oil splattering is zero fun. This goes for whether you’re using a deep fryer or frying pan. Make sure the pot you are using has high sides: When you add the chicken, the oil will bubble up, and you don’t want it to boil over. This can be avoided by using a pot or pan with some depth. You can also drop the chicken in the oil using tongues so your hands and arms don’t go anywhere near the hot oil. Clear the area around your stove: Before you begin deep-frying clear the area of anything combustible and make sure there are no kids or pets running around.
Salads: Since fried chicken is rich and juicy, pair it with a tangy, crisp salad. Try your chicken with this Asian coleslaw or this Thai cucumber salad. Fries: So much crispy goodness is this pairing! Try serving your fried chicken with some pachos (like a french fry and nacho cross over) or some spicy sweet potato fries. Other veggies: Try some stir fried okra, chili lime grilled corn or even this loaded baked potato salad as sides to your fried chicken.
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