AFTER TRYING MANY RECIPES FOR FRIED chicken, I’ve found that this recipe works best. What differentiates it from other recipes is “resting” time, an hour or so when the chicken is kept in the refrigerator after the first coating of egg and flour. The chicken is later given a second coating of flour and bread crumbs, just before it’s fried. This makes the chicken extra crisp.

Here’s a recipe for crispy and juicy fried chicken using Baguio cooking oil, which was one of the sponsors in the recent Inquirer Lifestyle food styling seminar conducted by Delores Custer.

Fried chicken

12 pc cut chicken (legs, thighs and wings)

Salt

1 large egg

1 c all-purpose flour, divided

4 c Baguio cooking oil

¾ c Japanese bread crumbs (panko)

Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season chicken with salt. Beat egg in a large bowl and sprinkle ½ cup of the flour on a sheet of waxed paper (reserve remaining flour for later).

Dip each chicken piece in the beaten egg then dredge in flour. Arrange chicken on a tray or large pan. Cover tray or pan and let chicken rest one to two hours or up to eight to 10 hours in refrigerator.

When ready to cook, heat oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Put remaining ½ c flour on waxed paper. Arrange bread crumbs on a separate piece of waxed paper. Season chicken lightly with salt. Dredge chicken in flour then coat lightly with bread crumbs. If necessary, press bread crumbs on chicken to make it adhere.

When oil starts to shimmer (a sign that it’s hot enough), turn down heat to medium. Fry the chicken pieces in hot oil, about four pieces at a time.

Cook chicken pieces about 8-10 minutes each side, or until golden brown, turning once. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve with desired sauce such as ketchup, applesauce or honey-mustard sauce.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Tips

Since chicken has to “rest” in refrigerator after the first coating of egg and flour, allot enough time for preparation. Do the first coating early in the day, for example, then finish cooking the chicken before dinner time.

When frying the chicken, don’t overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding the pan steams the chicken rather than fries it. An average-size frying pan can hold only 3-4 pieces of chicken at a time.

If you prefer white meat, use chicken breast instead of chicken legs, thighs or wings. For easier frying, cut the chicken breast in half before dredging in flour. Or use deboned chicken breast.