Jamaican Fried Chicken
By Simbooker on October 6th 2013
Files & Tags: chicken, jamaican, caribbean & latin american, chili pepper
This Recipe has been updated!
It's been a long time since I've been back to Jamaica. But the last time I was there I had the most delicious fried chicken in Hector's River Portland, with rice and peas (beans) that I've ever tasted. It's really interesting how the food of one country can relate to another, and how food can tell the historical story of any given place. Fried chicken is so much considered to be a staple of the Southern United States. There are even racial connotations associated with Fried Chicken and African Americans. The stereotype is of course utterly ridiculous; considering that people of all races eat and enjoy Fried Chicken, not just African Americans. You only have to look at the long lasting popularity of Kentucky Fried Chicken, and OTHER Fried chicken joints all over the United States.
The cuisine of Jamaica is not all that dissimilar to Southern cuisine. Barbecued food (Jerk), red beans and rice, sweet potato, salted pork (pigtails) and Fried Chicken, are just some of the foods that the American South and Jamaica have in common. It only seems logical that food and cooking techniques spread from the Caribbean, and upwards to the Southern United States. In most areas of Jamaica you will find fried chicken joints, or at least fried chicken on the menu. Although we are more known for our Jerk, than we are for fried Chicken, I can attest that Jamaica has the best Fried Chicken in the world.
This is my Jamaican Fried Chicken Recipe.
This is my Jamaican Fried Chicken Recipe.
Recipe AND Ingredients
8 Large Chicken Legs or more
3 CUPS All Purpose flour OR MORE
(1 and a half cups of Butter Milk see below)
1 + 1/2 cups of Butter Milk
3 Cups of Vegetable Oil
(YOU'LL LIKELY NEED MORE OIL)
To season flour for Chicken
Add all of the following ingredients to the flour and afterwards combine and stir thoroughly so these ingredients are evenly distributed into the flour
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbs Paprika
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tbs Garlic powder/granules
1 tbs Onion powder/granules
2 sprigs fresh Thyme chopped (Essential)
2 tbs Jamaican Chicken seasoning
1 tbs Jamaican All Purpose Seasoning
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp All Spice
Salt to taste 1 (tbs)
(I recommend AT LEAST 1 tbs of Salt)
Place the Chickens in a large plastic bowl, or a large bowl that can hold all the ingredients. Wash the Chickens thoroughly and pat dry. Pour the buttermilk over the chicken legs and rub in. Leave the chickens to soak in the buttermilk overnight or at least 1 hour.
The Buttermilk will serve as a sticking agent for the flour, that's mainly why I use it now.
Piece by piece rub the Chicken legs into the flour and coat as evenly as possible. Let the Chicken sit for about ten minutes. During that time heat some Vegetable or Sunflower Oil in a frying pan ON HIGH HEAT. You don't need a deep fryer, but the pan has to be wide and deep enough to fry the legs properly. Do not overcrowd the pan! Do not use OLIVE OIL!!
Before you add the Chicken to the pan, turn down to medium heat about mark 4. You can always test the heat before adding the Chicken, by adding a few drops of flour to the pan. If it sizzles and dissolves quickly in the pan, it should be ready.
Set up a wire wrack, and place a plate or a tray beneath it to catch the drippings from the chicken. An idea would be to cover the wrack with paper towels or Kitchen towels. But just bare in mind that the Chickens may stick, so I usually don’t do this. To help matters, RUBBING A LITTLE OIL
ON THE TOWELS BEFOREHAND may prevent the chicken from sticking.
Drop as many legs INTO THE PAN as will fit with a comfortable space between each piece.
DO NOT OVERCROWD THE PAN, IF YOU RUN OUT OF SPACE THAT MEANS YOU ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH CHICKEN IN THE PAN. AND DON'T KEEP MOVING THE CHICKEN AROUND.
JUST LET THE CHICKENS FRY.
Fry on each side ON MEDIUM HEAT for about 10 minutes. But times can vary.
Use your discretion and judgement.
The Chicken has to be cooked on the inside as well as the outside.
Once done place them on a wire wrack and then turn your oven to 180c - Guideline Only. Once the oven is very hot, lightly grease a baking tray with vegetable oil, this can be reserved oil from frying the chicken and place the chickens on the baking tray and bake for approximately twenty five to thirty minutes, this will ensure they are cooked inside,
3 CUPS All Purpose flour OR MORE
(1 and a half cups of Butter Milk see below)
1 + 1/2 cups of Butter Milk
3 Cups of Vegetable Oil
(YOU'LL LIKELY NEED MORE OIL)
To season flour for Chicken
Add all of the following ingredients to the flour and afterwards combine and stir thoroughly so these ingredients are evenly distributed into the flour
1 tsp Cumin
2 tbs Paprika
2 tsp Chili Powder
2 tbs Garlic powder/granules
1 tbs Onion powder/granules
2 sprigs fresh Thyme chopped (Essential)
2 tbs Jamaican Chicken seasoning
1 tbs Jamaican All Purpose Seasoning
1 tsp Black Pepper
1 tsp All Spice
Salt to taste 1 (tbs)
(I recommend AT LEAST 1 tbs of Salt)
Place the Chickens in a large plastic bowl, or a large bowl that can hold all the ingredients. Wash the Chickens thoroughly and pat dry. Pour the buttermilk over the chicken legs and rub in. Leave the chickens to soak in the buttermilk overnight or at least 1 hour.
The Buttermilk will serve as a sticking agent for the flour, that's mainly why I use it now.
Piece by piece rub the Chicken legs into the flour and coat as evenly as possible. Let the Chicken sit for about ten minutes. During that time heat some Vegetable or Sunflower Oil in a frying pan ON HIGH HEAT. You don't need a deep fryer, but the pan has to be wide and deep enough to fry the legs properly. Do not overcrowd the pan! Do not use OLIVE OIL!!
Before you add the Chicken to the pan, turn down to medium heat about mark 4. You can always test the heat before adding the Chicken, by adding a few drops of flour to the pan. If it sizzles and dissolves quickly in the pan, it should be ready.
Set up a wire wrack, and place a plate or a tray beneath it to catch the drippings from the chicken. An idea would be to cover the wrack with paper towels or Kitchen towels. But just bare in mind that the Chickens may stick, so I usually don’t do this. To help matters, RUBBING A LITTLE OIL
ON THE TOWELS BEFOREHAND may prevent the chicken from sticking.
Drop as many legs INTO THE PAN as will fit with a comfortable space between each piece.
DO NOT OVERCROWD THE PAN, IF YOU RUN OUT OF SPACE THAT MEANS YOU ALREADY HAVE ENOUGH CHICKEN IN THE PAN. AND DON'T KEEP MOVING THE CHICKEN AROUND.
JUST LET THE CHICKENS FRY.
Fry on each side ON MEDIUM HEAT for about 10 minutes. But times can vary.
Use your discretion and judgement.
The Chicken has to be cooked on the inside as well as the outside.
Once done place them on a wire wrack and then turn your oven to 180c - Guideline Only. Once the oven is very hot, lightly grease a baking tray with vegetable oil, this can be reserved oil from frying the chicken and place the chickens on the baking tray and bake for approximately twenty five to thirty minutes, this will ensure they are cooked inside,