Make crispy mini fried chicken while keeping the mess to a minimum in your kitchen.

Crispy mini fried chicken are a couple bites of deliciousness

Ever have a hankering for fried chicken? I have! I love combination of the crispy and crunchy outside coupled with the moist and juicy inside of the chicken. Alas, the thought of a big pot with quarts of scorching hot oil combined with a platter of cut up chicken equates to a mess of a kitchen in my mind. To avoid dealing with the all the shambles that comes along with deep frying chicken, my Mini Fried Chicken recipe keeps the kitchen splatters and mess to a minimum.

To overcome my fried chicken phobia, I bread and fry chicken wings. The smaller chicken parts are easy to handle, fry up in about 10 to 12 minutes in only a couple inches of oil, and are fun to eat. They offer the same crunchy coating and tender, juicy meat as the larger chicken pieces do but, in a more compact package.

Steps for perfect mini fried chicken

How to cut and dredge the mini chicken wings ~ Cut the chicken wings into 2 pieces before frying. There are the little drumettes and the wingettes. Discard the third part of the wing or the wing tip. A double dredging in a mixture of flour, seasoned bread crumbs and salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper ensure a crispy coating.

A double coating in seasoned flour and bread crumbs make for a light and crispy coating on the mini fried chicken.

Tips for frying crispy chicken wings

Use a high sided stock pot to minimize the splatters of hot oil. A candy thermometer is an essential kitchen tool to maintain the ideal frying temperature of 350 degrees. I actually heat the oil to 375 degrees before frying the first batch of chicken because the temperature drops once the chicken is added to the pot.

Don’t try to guess the temperature of the oil. If it is to cool, the chicken will soak up extra oil and be greasy. If it is too hot, the chicken will brown too quickly on the outside and be under cooked on the inside.

Are you a flats fan when it comes to mini fried chicken?

Only about 2-inches of oil is needed to fry the chicken wings. Use a neutral tasting oil such as canola oil which also has a high smoking point. The wings are almost submerged in the oil as they fry. Cool on a cooling rack set in baking sheet ensures a crispy crust all around. Don’t make the mistake of cooling the chicken on paper towels. This will trap in the steam and make for a soggy bottom crust.

My Mini Fried Chicken is perfect for kids and adults alike. It is a welcome addition to a picnic or barbecue. A big batch can be made ahead to party or dinner time and served at room temperature or reheated in a 350-degree oven for about 10 minutes.

More favorite chicken recipes to try

recipe

Mini Fried Chicken

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Author: amycaseycooks
Total Time: 80 minutes
Yield: 10 1x

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Description

Chicken wings are the perfect size for mini fried chicken. A double dip in seasoned flour add a crispiness to the coating.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for sprinkling
30 whole chicken wings cut into 2 pieces
Canola oil

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Instructions

In a large, shallow bowl, combine the flour, breadcrumbs, paprika, cayenne pepper, pepper, and salt.
Dredge the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in the flour mixture making sure to shake off any excess flour. Place on a large baking sheet and refrigerate for 1 hour. Coat the chicken a second time with the flour mixture and place on the baking sheet.
In a large, high sided stock pot, heat about 2 inches of canola oil to 375 degrees using a candy thermometer to check the temperature.
Deep fry about 8 to 10 pieces of chicken at a time for about 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Drain on a wire cooling rack placed in a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt.
Serve immediately or cool completely and store in the refrigerator.
Serve cold or reheat in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Category: Entree, Appetizer
Method: Deep fry
Cuisine: American