Fried Chicken Bites from Southern Living

Being a good southern girl, I love fried chicken.  I've made it at home a few times, but it always seems like a lot of effort.  Large pieces of bone-in chicken requires two batches of oil, and dark and white meat are done in different lengths of time.  It's time consuming and messy. This recipe gives you all of the flavor and crunch of traditional fried chicken without the fuss and muss.

IN BRIEF

Fried Chicken Bites from Southern Living (adapted slightly)

1 1/2 tsp. to 1 TBS ground red pepper (I used 1 1/2 tsp. and the bites were mildly spicy. I'd probably go 2 or more tsp. next time)

1 1/2 tsp. ground chipotle pepper

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups buttermilk

3 bread slices, toasted (day old bread works well.)

1 cup all-purpose flour

Oil for frying

1.  Combine the first 7 ingredients and mix well.  Divide in half.

2.  In a medium bowl, add the chicken and 1/2 of the spice mixture. Toss to coat. Stir in the buttermilk.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.  (I prepped this in the morning and fried it in the evening.)

3.  Tear the toasted bread into chunks and put it in a food processor.  Add the remaining 1/2 of the spice mixture and process until the bread resembles cornmeal. Add the flour and pulse to combine.

4.  Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk and dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture. 

5.  Pour 2-inches of oil in a Dutch oven (I cheated here and used about 1-inch of oil in an iron skillet) and heat over med-high heat to 350degrees. 

6.  Fry the chicken bites until golden brown, turning once or twice.  Southern Living suggests 6 to 7 minutes per side, but mine took more like 4-5 minutes.

7.  Drain the chicken bites on a wire rack over paper towels and sprinkle with salt to taste.

VERDICT: 4 Gavels

I loved this.  The chicken bites are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.  The hint of spice was a nice touch.  As I mentioned, I'd up the cayenne amount a bit, but we like spicy food.  I served these with store-bought sweet potato fries and ranch dressing, but I'd love to try them with a nice potato salad.  They'd also make a great selection for a picnic--I bet they'd be terrific cold.  

Despite the lengthy ingredient list, the initial prep for this takes less than 15 minutes and can be done the night before or in the morning before work.  Dredging the marinated chicken in breadcrumbs and frying takes 30 minutes or so.  This recipe is easy and tasty; give it a try.