Crispy, Juicy Kerala Fried Chicken

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt ~ Or buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic ~ Grated, puréed, or finely minced ~ 4 to 5 cloves
• 2 teaspoons ginger ~ Grated or puréed
• 2 teaspoons Kashmiri ground red chili ~ Or 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
• 2 teaspoons green chili ~ Minced: See Notes below1 to 2 small Indian (finger) or 3/4 Serrano chilies; to taste
• 1 teaspoon sea or table salt ~ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Kerala garam masala ~Or see Notes below
• 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice ~ Optional
• 1/4 teaspoon black salt ~ Optional (kala namak)

Breading & Frying

• 1 cup all-purpose flour ~ See Notes below
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sea or table salt ~ Or 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon Kerala garam masala ~ See Notes below
• 1 tablespoon Kashmiri ground red chili ~ 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoons cayenne, to taste!
• oil for frying ~ Grapeseed, avocado, or your favorite oil

Optional Garnishes

• 1 teaspoon coarse salt ~ Optional, Malden or Kosher salt
• 2 sprigs curry leaves ~ Optional, fry for garnishing
• lemon or lime wedges
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt ~ Mixed with 1 teaspoon of hot sauce or green chutney (more to taste) and a pinch of salt

Instructions

Marinade

1. Trim and cut each chicken thigh in thirds. In a bowl large enough for the chicken, mix together all the marinade ingredients except the chicken.
2. Stir in the chicken to coat thoroughly. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature for 20 minutes before frying.

Breading & Frying

1. Gather all the breading ingredients and mix together. Place a cooling rack on a sheet pan to be ready for the cooked chicken.
2. Coat the chicken with the dry mix and shake off any excess.

Deep frying instructions

1. Using a dutch oven, wok, or a large skillet, add oil to the depth of 1-inch and heat over medium-high heat. Bring the oil to 350°F (180°C) using an instant-read thermometer or the handle of a wooden spoon. If using the wooden spoon test, put the straight end into the oil, and if tiny bubbles come up immediately, the oil is hot enough. Fry the chicken in batches being sure to monitor the heat of the oil. Don’t overcrowd the pan! You probably need to temporarily increase the heat as needed with each new batch of chicken because it will reduce the temperature of the oil. Frying with too low a temperature will lead to sad, oily fried chicken.
2. Stir the chicken frequently to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pan and getting random dark spots. Fry it until it is a deep golden brown and cooked through, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. The temperature should register at least 165°F (75°C). Your yogurt marinade will help keep the chicken from drying out so it is fine to go over this temperature for dark meat. See Cooling and Serving for next steps.

Shallow frying

1. In a skillet, pour in enough oil to come to 1/4 inch (slightly more than 1/2 cm). Over medium-high heat bring the oil up to shimmering but not smoking. Cook the chicken in batches. Depending on the size of your pieces it will take 4 to 5 minutes on the first side and 3 to 4 minutes on the second.
2. Add more oil if needed to finish shallow cooking all of the chicken. The temperature should register at least 165°F (75°C). Your yogurt marinade will help keep the chicken from drying out so it is fine to go over this temperature for dark meat.

Saucing, garnishing, and serving ideas

1. Place the cooked chicken on the cooling rack to drain and sprinkle with coarse salt, if using. Leave space between the pieces of chicken. If you want to serve the chicken hot, keep it warm in a 200°F (100°C) oven. Dark meat keeps well in the oven for up to an hour, but white meat will probably start drying out at about 30 minutes.
2. If you are using curry leaves after all the chicken is cooked, add the curry leaves to the hot oil and fry for 10 to 15 seconds until turn a darker, shiny green.
3. Serve with a quick sauce of flavored yogurt as described in the garnishing ingredient section, raita and/or a favorite Indian pickle.

How to rewarm leftovers

1. Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). While the oven is preheating, remove the chicken from the fridge. Allow it to stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. On a wire rack over a baking sheet place the chicken pieces without touching.
2. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken is heated through and the coating has crisped up again. If using chicken breasts you will need to be careful not to dry it out. Start checking if it is warm enough at the 8-minute mark.