Batter Fried Chicken or Fish

 



1 1/2 lbs chicken tenders or a mild, white fish (such as cod)
Salt to taste
Flour for dusting

For the Batter:
1 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
1 TBSP corn flour (not corn meal)
1 1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp Accent (MSG), optional
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
1 c water plus more as needed
1 tsp vinegar

Oil for frying

Dry the chicken tenders (or fish) well. Salt the chicken tenders (or fish) and set aside. For the batter, whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of water and vinegar and whisk smooth. Set aside.

Add about 3" of oil to a medium pot over medium-high heat. The pot needs to be deep enough to hold the oil plus leave plenty of room for the oil to expand when frying. Heat the oil to 350F. While the oil is heating, preheat the oven to 200F.

When the oil is approaching 350F, whisk the batter again. If it has thickened too much, add another tablespoon of water and whisk. Toss 2 to 3 pieces of chicken (or fish) in some flour (dredge the number of pieces that will fit in your pot without crowding it). Shake off all excess flour. Dip a piece of chicken (or fish) in the batter, allow most of the excess to drip off, then slowly add to the hot oil. Repeat with the remaining piece(s). Fry until deep brown. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack inserted into a sheet pan and place the sheet pan in the oven to keep warm until all of the chicken has been fried. Allow the oil to return to 350F before adding more pieces.