Tuscan Fried Chicken

A close up of fried chicken on a serving platter.

No ratings yet

Crispy and crunchy Tuscan fried chicken marinated in rosemary, garlic, and lemon. Perfectly tender and juicy on the inside and deliciously crispy on the outside. Served with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of sea salt. Step by step photos are in the recipe card below you can toggle them on/off with the camera icon.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

marinating time1

Total Time1 50

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: -4 servings

Author: Emily Wyper

Equipment

Candy thermometer
heavy based pot or pan for frying

Ingredients

For the chicken mariade

6-8 chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks) about 700g–900g / 1½–2 lbs (skin on and bone in)
1 sprig rosemary finely chopped
1 whole lemon juice and peel cut into strips (use veg peeler)
2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt and pepper

For the chicken batter and frying

2 large eggs beaten
1/2 cup (60g) all purpose flour for dredging
4 pints (2 litres) oil for frying (e.g light olive oil or sunflower oil)
lemon wedges (for serving)

Optional extras for frying

Zucchini blossoms (courgette flowers)
Fresh sage leaves

For the vegetable batter (optional)

1/3 cup (40g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (80ml) cold beer or cold sparkling water

Instructions

Marinate the chicken

Add the chicken pieces to a large bowl. Add the rosemary, lemon zest and juice, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat and cover. Leave to marinate for at least 1–2 hours or overnight in the fridge.

Prepare the chicken for frying

Bring the chicken out of the fridge around 30 minutes before frying so it's not too cold. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based pot or large pan to 170°C (340°F). Use a thermometer to help.
Remove the chicken from the marinade. Dredge each piece lightly in flour, then dip into the beaten eggs, coating all over.

Fry the chicken

Carefully lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil. The temperature will drop; aim to keep it around 150°C (300°F) during cooking. Fry for 16–18 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.

Drain and rest

Using tongs, lift the chicken out of the oil and hold it for a few seconds to allow excess oil to drip off. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Rest for a few minutes, then season with extra sea salt.

Fry extra (optional)

NOTE: if using zucchini blossoms, make sure to remove the inner stamen before frying.
While the chicken is resting, increase the oil temperature to 170–180°C (340–355°F). In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and cold beer (or sparkling water) to make a light batter. Dip zucchini blossoms and sage leaves into the batter, letting the excess drip off, and fry for about 1 minute, turning once or twice, until crisp and golden. Drain on kitchen paper.

Serve

Arrange the chicken on a platter with the fried vegetables on the side. Serve hot with extra lemon wedges.

Notes

Prep ahead - you can marinate the chicken up to 24 hours in advance.
Make in advance and leftovers - you can fry the chicken in advance or to reheat leftovers. Lay the chicken on a wire rack on a baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C (350F) for 10 minutes or until piping hot throughout. The chicken will still be crispy and delicious.

Nutrition