This fried chicken legs recipe packs flavor on top of flavor. The chicken is juicy, and the skin is extra crispy, made even more delicious by the chicken marinade and chicken injection. After one bite of this crispy skin-on chicken, you'll never want to make fried chicken any other way!
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Why You'll Love This Fried Chicken Drumsticks Recipe
So much better than regular fried chicken. I absolutely love deep fried chicken, and I love dipping sauces, so I've been playing around with trying to combine the two. So I combined a killer fried chicken marinade, chicken injection sauce, and crispy breading with seasoning to make what I think is the best fried chicken ever!
It's made with common ingreidents. This recipe is full of incredible flavor from everyday pantry items! It uses things like garlic, soy sauce, hot sauce, paprika, and more ingredients you probably have on hand.
Your family will love it. Once I perfected this recipe, my wife and I couldn't get enough. We've added it to our weekly dinner rotation and have even made it for our families when they come over for dinner. The deep fried chicken legs have been a huge hit with everyone who has tried them!
Ingredients For Fried Chicken Legs
For the chicken injection marinade:
- Hot sauce- any kind will do, I love a good Buffalo style hot sauce.
- Seasonings- Chili powder, salt, and paprika. All bring unique flavors to the chicken.
- Vinegar- apple cider or distilled vinegar. This will add acid and tenderize the chicken.
For the chicken marinade:
- Red chili flakes- adds lots of heat.
- Soy sauce- another sauce to tenderize the chicken. It adds moisture, as well.
- Seasonings- garlic powder, salt, and paprika, common spices with a big flavor.
- Lemon juice- adds brightness and acidity to the chicken.
For the fried chicken breading:
- Chicken- bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks, chicken legs, or other chicken pieces. I used bone-in skin-on chicken legs and chicken leg quarters.
- Flour- all purpose flour to dredge the chicken in before frying.
- Seasonings- salt and white pepper to enhance flavor.
How To Make Fried Chicken Legs
Step 1: Make the chicken injector marinade: In a small bowl, mix the hot sauce of your choice, chili powder, salt, paprika, and vinegar together. Make sure you stir them until the ingredients are well combined. Fill a food-grade chicken injector with the marinade by sticking the injector in the bowl of marinade and pulling the plunger back.
Step 2: Insert the marinade. Once your marinade is ready to inject, take the chicken pieces and inject the prepared marinade into each one. You'll want to stick the injector right into the thickest part of the chicken legs or drumsticks.
Step 3: Season the chicken. Combine the chicken marinade ingredients - that would be the red chili powder, paprika, soy sauce, garlic powder, salt, and lemon juice - in a large bowl and mix well. Once combined, toss the chicken in the bowl with the marinade until they're well coated.
Step 4: Bread the chicken. Add the all purpose flour, salt, and white pepper to a medium bowl and mix. Mix the ingredients well. Take each piece of the marinated chicken and coat it well in the dry mixture. Flip the chicken over multiple times to make sure you have evenly coated each piece.
Step 5: Deep fry the chicken. Heat a large pot of oil and then fry a few chicken pieces for 3-4 minutes or until the chicken skin is crispy.
Step 6: Serve and enjoy! Place the chicken on a paper towel-lined plate to remove any excess oil. Serve while the chicken is hot and crispy with any sides you want, like some old fashioned cornbread.
Tips To Make The Best Recipe
- The best chicken to use in this dish is chicken drumsticks or legs with the skin on. Leaving the skin on the chicken will ensure you get a crispy outer layer.
- Don't wait too long to fry the chicken after you've tossed it in the dry mixture. It's best to fry as soon as the breading sticks for the best crispy texture.
- Don't overcrowd the pot of oil when frying the chicken, or it will decrease the temperature. A few chicken pieces at a time is best.
- Check the chicken with a meat thermometer after frying. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach an internal temperature of 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer.
- Save some of the chicken injection and use it as a dipping sauce for the fried chicken.
- Serve the chicken immediately! There's nothing better than hot, crispy chicken.
Storing and Reheating Instructions
In the fridge: This chicken is best enjoyed right after frying, but you can store any leftover chicken in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just make sure the chicken is stored in an airtight container for the best results.
Freezer: You can also store this chicken in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure it's completely cooled, then either store it in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Reheating: This chicken is actually delicious cold, but if that's not your thing, you can reheat it. I think the best way is in the oven. Take the chicken out of the fridge for 5-10 minutes before reheating, then warm in the oven at 400°F for about 8 minutes or until it's hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe with boneless chicken breasts?
Yes, this recipe will work with boneless chicken breasts as well. Instead of injecting the chicken, I recommend just using it as a dipping sauce for the best results.
Why is my fried chicken not crispy?
If you're making frid chicken, you want it to be crispy, so there are two important things you'll want to do to get extra crispy fried chicken. First, make sure the oil is hot before you add the chicken to it. Then, fry only a few pieces of chicken at a time to keep the oil nice and hot. Also, make sure the chicken is fully breaded on all sides with the flour mixture for the best results.
More Chicken Recipes
- Fried chicken breasts
- Stuffed chicken breast
- Chicken tempura
- Fried chicken without buttermilk
- Baked chicken leg quarters
Crispy Fried Chicken Legs (With Flavorful Chicken Injection Sauce)
This fried chicken legs recipe packs flavor on top of flavor. The chicken is juicy, and the skin is extra crispy, made even more delicious by the chicken marinade and chicken injection. After one bite of this crispy skin-on chicken, you'll never want to make fried chicken any other way!
Ingredients
Chicken Injector Marinade
- ½ cup hot sauce
- 1 tbsp. Chili powder
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 1 tbsp. vinegar
- Chicken Marinade
Chicken Marinade
- 6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (I used chicken legs and chicken leg quarters)
- 2 tablespoon Red chili
- 2 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- Chicken Breading
Chicken Breading
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the injected marinade. Fill the marinade into a meat injector.
- Take the chicken pieces and inject prepared marinade into them with the syringe
- In a bowl, add flour, white pepper powder, and salt and mix it well
- Take the marinate chicken and coat it well into dry mixture
- Deep fry the chicken 3-4 min or until chicken is fully done and crispy
- Serve and enjoy.
Nutrition Information:
Serving Size:
½ lbAmount Per Serving: Calories: 606Total Fat: 16.8gSaturated Fat: 3.8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 6682mgCarbohydrates: 84.1gFiber: 31gSugar: 0gProtein: 46.5g
Lance
The crispiness was great.