Crispy Fried Chicken with Rice and Peas and Curry Gravy
Crispy Fried Chicken with Rice and Peas and Curry Gravy
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 8 chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on (e.g., thighs, drumsticks)
- 2 lemons, cut in half, for cleaning
For the Marinade
- 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 scallions, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon rock salt, or flaky salt
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or prepared mustard
- 1/4 cup water, for blending
For the Flour Coating
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For Frying
- 4 cups sunflower oil, or other high smoke point oil, for deep frying
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, whole
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Clean the chicken: Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice from the cut lemons over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are coated. Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Prepare the marinade: In a blender cup, combine the roughly chopped red onion, scallions, peeled garlic cloves, paprika, rock salt, ground allspice, Dijon mustard, and water. Blend until a smooth, reddish-orange marinade is formed.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Marinate the chicken: Pour the blended marinade over the cleaned chicken pieces in the bowl. Using a fork or knife, stab the chicken pieces several times to help the marinade penetrate. Thoroughly mix the chicken with the marinade, ensuring every piece is well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours, or preferably overnight for best flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 4
Prepare the flour coating: In a shallow dish or baking tray, combine the self-rising flour, dried thyme, white pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Coat the chicken: Wearing gloves, remove individual marinated chicken pieces from the bowl, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing to ensure a thick, even coating. Place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let them sit for at least 5 minutes. This resting period helps the coating adhere and contributes to a crispier crust.
⏱️ 10 min
- 6
Heat the frying oil: Pour the sunflower oil into a large, deep pot or Dutch oven. Add the whole Scotch Bonnet pepper and fresh thyme sprigs to the oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to ensure the correct temperature, or test by dropping a small pinch of flour into the oil; it should sizzle immediately.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 7
Fry the chicken: Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil, frying in batches of approximately three pieces to avoid overcrowding the pot. Overcrowding can lower the oil temperature and result in soggy chicken. Fry for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping as needed to ensure even browning and cooking. Continue frying until the chicken is golden brown and crispy.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 350
- 8
Check for doneness: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C).
- 9
Serve: Serve the crispy fried chicken immediately with rice and peas and a side of curry gravy.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Crispy Fried Chicken with Rice and Peas and Curry Gravy
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 8 chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on (e.g., thighs, drumsticks)
- 2 lemons, cut in half, for cleaning
For the Marinade
- 1 red onion, peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 scallions, roughly chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon rock salt, or flaky salt
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard, or prepared mustard
- 1/4 cup water, for blending
For the Flour Coating
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For Frying
- 4 cups sunflower oil, or other high smoke point oil, for deep frying
- 1 Scotch Bonnet pepper, whole
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Instructions
- 1
Clean the chicken: Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Squeeze the juice from the cut lemons over the chicken, ensuring all pieces are coated. Rinse the chicken thoroughly under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Prepare the marinade: In a blender cup, combine the roughly chopped red onion, scallions, peeled garlic cloves, paprika, rock salt, ground allspice, Dijon mustard, and water. Blend until a smooth, reddish-orange marinade is formed.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Marinate the chicken: Pour the blended marinade over the cleaned chicken pieces in the bowl. Using a fork or knife, stab the chicken pieces several times to help the marinade penetrate. Thoroughly mix the chicken with the marinade, ensuring every piece is well coated. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 to 3 hours, or preferably overnight for best flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 4
Prepare the flour coating: In a shallow dish or baking tray, combine the self-rising flour, dried thyme, white pepper, and garlic powder. Mix well to ensure the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Coat the chicken: Wearing gloves, remove individual marinated chicken pieces from the bowl, allowing excess marinade to drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing to ensure a thick, even coating. Place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let them sit for at least 5 minutes. This resting period helps the coating adhere and contributes to a crispier crust.
⏱️ 10 min - 6
Heat the frying oil: Pour the sunflower oil into a large, deep pot or Dutch oven. Add the whole Scotch Bonnet pepper and fresh thyme sprigs to the oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a thermometer to ensure the correct temperature, or test by dropping a small pinch of flour into the oil; it should sizzle immediately.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 7
Fry the chicken: Carefully add the coated chicken pieces to the hot oil, frying in batches of approximately three pieces to avoid overcrowding the pot. Overcrowding can lower the oil temperature and result in soggy chicken. Fry for 6-8 minutes per side, flipping as needed to ensure even browning and cooking. Continue frying until the chicken is golden brown and crispy.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 350 - 8
Check for doneness: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. The internal temperature of the thickest part of the chicken should reach 165°F (74°C).
- 9
Serve: Serve the crispy fried chicken immediately with rice and peas and a side of curry gravy.
⏱️ 5 min