« Italian Style » fried chicken with balsamic glaze

Fried chicken is the quintessential comfort food. There is Chinese style fried chicken, South Asian style, American south style and the list goes on.... fried chicken anyway is just soooo delicious.

Here is a Mediterranean style, with crushed fennel seeds & basil marinated with white breadcrumbs. The key to getting this chicken super moist? Well is marinating it in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and milk.

What you’ll need (makes a serving of 4-5):

• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

• 1 cup regular white breadcrumbs

• 1 cup of white flour

• 1 tbsp of fennel seeds

• 1 tbsp of dried basil

• 4 chicken legs (or 4 drumsticks & 4 thighs)

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 cup milk

• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar from Modena

• 3 tbsp of pecorino cheese

• 2-3 cups vegetable oil for frying

• Salt & pepper to taste

What you’ll do:

Salt and pepper your chicken.

Combine milk, eggs and balsamic vinegar I to a large bowl. Add the chicken pieces, mix into the mixture, put some plastic film on top of the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

We’ll prepare the breadcrumb mixture. In a medium sized bowl, combine both breadcrumbs. In a pestle & motar, crush the fennel seeds and the basil, add to the breadcrumbs. And add grated pecorino cheese.

On a long plate or on a long piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper, place breadcrumbs to one side and flour to the other.  Now take a piece of chicken drench it in the flour, and back into the wet mixture, then drench it into the breadcrumbs, place aside on a plate. Repeat with all pieces of chicken. 

In a deep Dutch oven, wok or skillet, heat up your vegetable oil to fry- it is recommended at a lower heat, since we want to allow the chicken to cook through. Fry up your chicken untill golden brown and place on a dry rack.

** Tip, if you chicken skin starts to brown to quickly and your chicken is still raw, bake your chicken at 375 degrees in your oven u till cooked through, Your skin will still stay golden brown, it won’t burn.

Next the balsamic glaze!

What you’ll need:

• 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar from Modena

• 1/4 cup of white sugar

• 1tsp of lemon juice

What you’ll do:

In a medium saucepan, on medium-high, combine balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and white sugar, mix untill mixture starts to boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8-10 mins untill it becomes a honey texture.

That’s it!! You’re ready to drizzle your chicken or anything else you may like!