2 cups all purpose white flour
2 tsp table salt
1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
4 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp celery salt
2 Tbsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp dry mustard powder
3 Tbsp white pepper
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp MSG, optional
7 lbs chicken
oil for deep frying
Mix all of the herbs and spices together first, making sure there are no lumps in the mixture from spices that have clumped in storage.
In a large bowl, add the herb & spice mixture to the flour and mix well until the spices are evenly distributed.
Cut 2 whole chickens into 9 pieces each (2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 side breasts and a centre breast)
Dip each of the pieces in plain water, shake and dredge in the flour and spice mixture. Repeat for all of the remaining pieces. Leave the pieces to sit in the dredge for 10 to 15 minutes while the oil heats up. This will help the coating stick to the chicken better.
Preheat a vegetable oil filled deep fryer to 340 degrees F
Shake off the excess coating from the pieces and fry for up to 18 minutes for the largest pieces. Wings generally take 8 to 10 minutes, drumsticks about 12 to 15 minutes depending on size. I use a meat thermometer to test the pieces and remove them individually when they reach an internal temperature of 180 degrees F.
Place cooked pieces on a rack that has been placed on top of a cookie sheet.
Hold the cooked chicken in a 150 degree oven if you need to cook the chicken in multiple batches. In that Case I always start with the largest pieces and end with the smallest to minimize the time in the oven.
prep time: 20 MINUTES
cook time: 18 MINUTES
total time: 38 MINUTES
YIELD: 18 PIECES
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