Fried chicken is one of the 10 most popular comfort foods in the United States, says Alton Brown in the "Food Network Magazine." But it's also a food that may be difficult to incorporate into a healthy, balanced diet. Besides being high in fat, fried chicken can contain large amounts of sodium: Commercially prepared fried chicken may have as much as 860 milligrams of sodium per serving, an amount that supplies 37 percent of the sodium a healthy adult should limit herself to daily. To control your sodium intake, prepare fried chicken at home using flour you've seasoned with low-sodium spices and herbs. Eat fried chicken only occasionally, and use an alternative, low-fat method like oven-frying whenever possible.
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Step 1
Measure flour into a large mixing bowl. Plan on approximately 2 cups of flour for every 4 pounds of chicken.
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Step 2
Add your choice of low- or no-sodium seasonings, such as freshly ground pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, a commercial salt-free seasoning blend or low-sodium seasoned salt.
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Step 3
Combine the seasonings with flour thoroughly using a whisk. Store the seasoned flour in a plastic resealable bag or an airtight container, or use it as a fried chicken coating immediately.
Things You'll Need
Large mixing bowl Low-sodium seasonings Whisk Plastic resealable bag or airtight container, optional Tip To help the seasoned flour stick to the chicken, mix in a small amount of buttermilk until the flour has the texture of wet sand, then use the mixture to coat the chicken pieces, advises the editors at America’s Test Kitchen. For a crunchier coating, add a few teaspoons of baking powder to the seasoned flour before using. If you want a spicy fried chicken, add spices like cayenne pepper and chili powder to the flour. Warning Do not store and reuse seasoned flour that you have already used to coat raw chicken.
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references
Food Network: America's Best - Top 10 Comfort Foods
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Basic Report - 21424, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Fried Chicken, Original Recipe, Skin and Breading
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Most Americans Should Consume Less Sodium
Cook's Country: How to Make Fried Chicken
Guideposts: My Mom's Oven "Fried" Chicken
references
Food Network: America's Best - Top 10 Comfort Foods
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Basic Report - 21424, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Fried Chicken, Original Recipe, Skin and Breading
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Most Americans Should Consume Less Sodium
Cook's Country: How to Make Fried Chicken
Guideposts: My Mom's Oven "Fried" Chicken
- Large mixing bowl
- Low-sodium seasonings
- Whisk
- Plastic resealable bag or airtight container, optional
To help the seasoned flour stick to the chicken, mix in a small amount of buttermilk until the flour has the texture of wet sand, then use the mixture to coat the chicken pieces, advises the editors at America’s Test Kitchen. For a crunchier coating, add a few teaspoons of baking powder to the seasoned flour before using. If you want a spicy fried chicken, add spices like cayenne pepper and chili powder to the flour.
For a crunchier coating, add a few teaspoons of baking powder to the seasoned flour before using.
If you want a spicy fried chicken, add spices like cayenne pepper and chili powder to the flour.
Do not store and reuse seasoned flour that you have already used to coat raw chicken.
Food Network: America's Best - Top 10 Comfort Foods
USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference: Basic Report - 21424, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Fried Chicken, Original Recipe, Skin and Breading
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Most Americans Should Consume Less Sodium
Cook's Country: How to Make Fried Chicken
Guideposts: My Mom's Oven "Fried" Chicken
