Have you ever cooked chicken pieces for a dish only to have some of the pieces turn out dry, chewy and barely edible and others don’t have that crispy edge you want? That’s why my friend asked me about how to fry chicken in a pan with oil and make it perfectly.
How To Fry Chicken Pieces in a Pan for PERFECT Chicken Every Time!
Everyone wants tender, soft, juicy chicken pieces with those delightful crispy edges and there is no one in the world who enjoys dry, chewy, stringy and nearly undigestible chicken!
Today we will review how to fry chicken in a pan with oil to the point of perfection so that you’ll be commanding your kitchen like a rockstar in no time at all!
When You Fry Diced Chicken In A Pan…
Color – You’ll have some slight color to your chicken.
Seasoning – There will be layers of seasoning to make it taste perfectly.
Juicy – The chicken will be done and juicy!
Coating – There will be a crunchy exterior that gives the whole thing life!
Here’s What You’ll Need
- Boneless Chicken – for beginner cooks, I recommend starting with boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are much more forgiving than the white meat cuts, but you’ll need to choose what is right for your recipe.
- Non Stick Skillet – Personally, I like to use cast iron, but you may have a favorite non-stick skillet.
- Tongs – Use tongs for flipping your chicken.
- Stovetop – A heating eye that you have excellent control over the heat.
- Oil – Vegetable oil or peanut oil is preferred for the beginner (forgiving with temperature control), but any cooking oil will work..
- Salt and Pepper or Other Seasonings
Here’s A Step By Step Guide for Perfect Pan Fried Chicken Pieces Every Time
- Cut the Chicken into Similar Sizes First.
- Preheat the Skillet and oil
- Use the three pan coating method noted
- Add the Chicken Pieces to the frying pan so That They Have Space Between Them.
- Allow to Brown on One Side Then Flip.
- Remove when Cooked Through and Add Remainder of The Chicken.
- Drain on a paper towel and put the whole plate in the oven on low until ready to use.
Tips and Tricks For Perfect Chicken
- Always cut all of the chicken up first before adding any to the pan. It’s easy to think, “I’ll just throw it in the pan as I cut so that I avoid any extra mess”, but the truth is that this will cause some chicken to be overcooked while some will barely get done at all.
- Preheat your pan before starting. It’s a common myth that you can just put your food into a cold pan and allow it to heat with the food. This will cause uneven cooking of the meat and a poor result with no browning and oily yucky chicken.
- Follow the coating recipe that I give you, this will give you a nice flavor and the crunch you are seeking.
- Use enough oil so that it reaches about 1/2 way up the side of your chicken pieces.
- This recipe is best done with a non stick skillet. I prefer to use cast iron which is non stick if seasoned correctly. You’ll find that as a beginner cook, stainless will want to stick until you are really practiced with using it.
- Season the meat by sprinkling with your fingers from up fairly high. You do this so that the seasoning spreads out well and has an even coating.
- Allow the meat to cook for quite a while on one side before flipping. This allows the browning to develop (which adds flavor!).
PRO TIP: If you want to make sure that your chicken is perfect every single time, you’ll want to invest in a quick read thermometer. I use and recommend the Thermoworks series. The chicken is done at 165 degrees! Perfect every single time!
Substitutions
- Chicken – You can substitute chicken breast, turkey breast, pork loin, pork chops or chicken tenders in this recipe, HOWEVER, if you use a different meat, then it won’t be the nugget that I described in the recipe. Just sayin.
- Oil – You can use any oil that is suitable for frying – Personally, I like to use either vegetable oil or peanut oil. You can use cannola, safflower, crisco, lard or whatever frying oil you prefer. Just DO NOT use Olive Oil or Butter.
- Seasonings – Feel free to use whatever seasonings you enjoy to season the breading, just understand that it takes A LOT of seasoning to make the breadcrumbs taste just right. I’ve chosen mine based on cost savings vs flavor.
- Flour – If you are unable to use standard all purpose flour, if there is another flour you have used in the past for frying and it has worked out ok, then it may work for this purpose. I haven’t fried with other flours so I can’t really give advice about this. You CAN use either all purpose or self rising flour.
- Panko – I’m using the unflavored panko breadcrumbs but it is fine to use the already seasoned ones. You can add seasoning to them or use them as is.
- Egg Wash – I’m not really aware of a substitute for the egg wash, but since the purpose is to make the panko stick onto the turkey, something like a thick greek yogurt or a thick buttermilk might work.
- Draining on a Paper Towel – The point is to remove some of the grease. If you prefer to do this on a cloth towel or just to allow the turkey to drip onto a plate, that is fine too.
Special Equipment
You do not need any special equipment for this recipe, but the following items really do help.
I am an Amazon affiliate and the photos below are Amazon links where you can click the photo and go straight over to Amazon to compare prices. If you purchase through this link, I receive a commission because I am an Amazon affiliate, so thank you! My commission does not affect your price at all though.
I love this breading station. It takes up some room in your cabinets but if you do a lot of frying, it’s great to have.
I can’t say enough about having a kitchen spider. I use mine almost daily. Totally worth the space, price and effort. Great for dipping the fried items from the grease (I also use for boiled eggs, moving pasta from the cooking water to the sauce and about a million other uses).
If You Enjoyed This Chicken Dish, You Might Also Enjoy….
Watch Me Make This Dish
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- 2 lbs chicken thighs cut into 1″ cubes
Oil
- vegetable oil or see substitution – 1 inch deep in the pan
Breading
- 1 cup flour all purpose
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 cup panko
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tbs paprika
- 3 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tbs baking powder
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Cut the chicken into 1″ cubes and dry it well with paper towels. Set aside
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Pour enough oil into your heavy duty pan to cover 1 ” deep. Set on medium to medium high heat and allow to come to temperature while mixing up the breading. Heat to 170 degrees.
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Sprinkle the chicken with a pinch of the salt and pepper
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Set up a 3 pan breading station. In one pan, put the plain flour. In the second pan, put 3 beaten eggs, in the third, mix together the panko, baking powder and remaining salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika and mix well. Move the cut chicken and the breading station to beside the stovetop.
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Working in small batches 5-10 pieces at a time, place the chicken into the plain flour and mix around making sure to coat all sides of the chicken with flour, then into the eggs and swirl around making sure to coat in egg then into the panko mixing around so that the breading coats all surfaces.
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Drop the chicken nuggets into the hot oil one piece at a time. Adjust the eye temp so that the nuggets do not cook too furiously or do not go cold. The chicken nuggets should bubble boldly and continue to do so until cooked through and should be a golden brown color when cooked. Cook to internal temp of 165. Chicken floats when it is done. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain and set the plate into the oven to keep warm. This also helps to keep the coating crispy. serve hot.
- Cut the chicken into small pieces – about sugar cube size if possible. Often you’ll find that the chicken wants to fall apart , if this happens, simply cut it as small as you are able to do.
- Always use a high temp oil for frying (vegetable, canola, peanut, etc.). Do NOT use Olive oil for frying these and do not use butter.
- You’ll want to have a thermometer so that you don’t burn your chicken nuggets and so that the oil is hot enough to fry them appropriately.
- If you want breading to stick, follow the directions EXPLICITLY in the recipe below. It is SUPER IMPORTANT to dry the meat off completely. You can do this with paper towels or with cloth towels, just so it is very very dry.
- You can substitute the spices in the seasoning for whatever flips your trigger, but you might want to start with the mix I suggest to make sure you enjoy the chicken before getting too wild and crazy with your seasoning choices.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Chicken – You can substitute chicken breast, turkey breast, pork loin, pork chops or chicken tenders in this recipe, HOWEVER, if you use a different meat, then it won’t be a chicken nugget. Just sayin.
Oil – You can use any oil that is suitable for frying – Personally, I like to use either vegetable oil or peanut oil. You can use cannola, safflower, crisco, lard or whatever frying oil you prefer. Just DO NOT use Olive Oil or Butter.
Seasonings – Feel free to use whatever seasonings you enjoy to season the breading, just understand that it takes A LOT of seasoning to make the breadcrumbs taste just right. I’ve chosen mine based on cost savings vs flavor.
Flour – If you are unable to use standard all purpose flour, if there is another flour you have used in the past for frying and it has worked out ok, then it may work for this purpose. I haven’t fried with other flours so I can’t really give advice about this. You CAN use either all purpose or self rising flour.
Panko – I’m using the unflavored panko breadcrumbs but it is fine to use the already seasoned ones. You can add seasoning to them or use them as is.
Egg Wash – I’m not really aware of a substitute for the egg wash, but since the purpose is to make the panko stick onto the turkey, something like a thick greek yogurt or a thick buttermilk might work.
Draining on a Paper Towel – The point is to remove some of the grease. If you prefer to do this on a cloth towel or just to allow the turkey to drip onto a plate, that is fine too.
Nutrition Facts
How to Fry Chicken in a Pan with Oil
Amount Per Serving (0.5 lb)
Calories 340
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 0.01g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 2g
Cholesterol 177mg59%
Sodium 807mg34%
Potassium 472mg13%
Carbohydrates 41g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 30g60%
Vitamin A 320IU6%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 230mg23%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
But what about when you just don’t feel courageous and strong. What about when you feel you can hardly go forward.
It seems undaunting to put another foot in front of the other.
What do you do?
Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.