Louisiana fried chicken is one of those iconic Southern dishes that immediately conjures up images of crispy, juicy fried chicken coated in a fiery blend of Cajun spices. This specialty of Louisiana cuisine has a fascinating history and unique preparation that sets it apart from other styles of fried chicken In this article, we’ll explore the origins, ingredients, cooking methods, and cultural significance of Louisiana fried chicken.
A Brief History of Louisiana Fried Chicken
While the exact origins are unclear, Louisiana fried chicken grew out of the culinary traditions of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. The city’s history as a major port resulted in a diverse blend of French, Spanish, African, Caribbean, and Native American influences. Enslaved Africans brought their techniques for deep frying chicken, which were combined with local spices and flavors.
After the Civil War, fried chicken became a popular staple New Orleans chefs put their own spin on the dish, developing complex seasonings featuring regional flavors like cayenne, black pepper, thyme, paprika and garlic Over time, this spicy fried chicken became a signature of Cajun and Creole cooking and a prized regional specialty.
The Quintessential Ingredients
Louisiana fried chicken combines simple ingredients with complex spice blends to create its signature flavor. The chicken itself is usually a mix of dark and white meat. Typical cuts are wings, legs, thighs and breast portions. While any good frying chicken works, heritage Southern breeds like Plymouth Rock chickens have deeper, richer flavors.
The chicken is seasoned liberally inside and out with Cajun seasoning, an intense blend of herbs and spices like:
- Cayenne and black pepper for heat
- Onion and garlic for depth of flavor
- Oregano, thyme and basil for herbal notes
- Paprika for color and mild sweetness
The chicken is soaked in buttermilk to tenderize, then dredged in seasoned flour before frying. Using self-rising flour gives the coating extra kick. The chicken bubbles away in peanut oil until the crust is mahogany-colored and shatteringly crisp.
How It’s Cooked: The Fine Art of Frying
Perfect Louisiana fried chicken requires care and expertise. With improper frying, you risk soggy coating, underdone chicken or dangerous splattering.
Key tips include:
-
Use a heavy, high-sided skillet or Dutch oven. The thick, heavy bottom conducts heat evenly.
-
Maintain oil temperature between 325-350°F. Use a thermometer and adjust the heat to stay in range.
-
Work in small batches to maintain the oil temperature. Avoid crowding.
-
Keep oil about 1 inch deep. Too little and the chicken cooks unevenly. Too much risks overflow.
-
Turn chicken slowly using tongs to prevent sticking and tearing the crust.
-
Fry until chicken is 165°F internally. The juices should run clear with no pink spots.
-
Drain on a wire rack over paper towels. Letting the chicken rest ensures the crust stays crispy.
Mastering the frying process takes Louisiana fried chicken from good to phenomenal.
Regional Variations to Try
While the basic recipe remains largely the same, Louisiana fried chicken has some delicious regional riffs:
-
New Orleans-style features very heavy spice blends and breading.
-
Cajun-style has lighter seasoning focusing on the natural flavor of the chicken.
-
Creole-style uses tomatoes and often serves the chicken over rice.
-
Baton Rouge-style is flavored with Tabasco pepper sauce for extra heat.
From the French Quarter to the bayous, every area of Louisiana puts its own stamp on this dish.
More Than Just Food: The Cultural Importance
Beyond its incredible flavor, Louisiana fried chicken holds an important place in regional culture and identity. The dish appears at major life events, from birthdays to weddings. Locals serve fried chicken at communal gatherings like church picnics, family reunions and neighborhood parties. Many restaurants make it a signature menu item.
Louisiana natives take pride in well-made, authentic fried chicken, seeing it as a core part of their heritage. Cooking competitions celebrate perfect renditions of this treasured regional specialty. For both locals and visitors, Louisiana fried chicken provides a tasty bite of Southern food history.
With its complex blend of spices and skillful cooking methods, Louisiana fried chicken is so much more than just another fried food. This regional style evolved over generations into a cherished mainstay of Southern food culture. Frying chicken is almost an art form, requiring care and know-how to achieve ideal crispness and juiciness. From street festivals to family dinner tables, Louisiana fried chicken remains a endlessly popular treat across the South. Its spicy, crispy goodness never goes out of style.
Cajun Fried Chicken FAQs
You want to cut the chicken into 10 pieces instead of the more typical 8 by halving each chicken breast portion. You can ask your butcher to cut the chicken or you can do it yourself. All you need to do to create the extra 2 pieces is to cut the breast in half crosswise, which will give you 2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks, and 4 pieces of chicken breast. This is a brilliant trick. Not only does it make for smaller pieces with more surface area—hence more of that coveted spiced Cajun coating—but it ensures today’s size D-cup chicken breasts cook relatively quickly, circumventing the problem of the coating becoming burnt while waiting, waiting, waiting for the innermost meat to cook through. The result? Perfectly fried, obscenely juicy, tender white meat with ample Cajun-spiced coating.
In this recipe, dipping the chicken into buttermilk before coating with spiced flour helps the flour stick, giving you that ultra-crisp coating. The buttermilk adheres to the chicken much better and allows for the breading to also have more sticking power. It also has fat and acids that help break down the outer skin for a crispy crust.
Don’t be in a rush to eat the fried chicken the moment it comes out of the fat. If you let it sit for a few minutes, the chicken will still be hot but the juices will have had a chance to settle and it will be a far more pleasurable experience.
How to make Seasoned Louisiana Fried Chicken
FAQ
What does Louisiana style chicken mean?
There are a few variations of Louisiana Chicken and this is a Creole-style version. Chicken pieces are sautéed and joined with a delicious blend of tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic, spices and seasonings, and a touch of Tabasco sauce. This dish is made in one pan making for a very easy cleanup after the meal.
What is in Louisiana chicken fry?
‘ENRICHED BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, MALTED BARLEY FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), YELLOW CORN FLOUR, SALT, YELLOW CORN MEAL, CORN STARCH, SPICES AND COLORING, DEXTROSE, NATURAL FLAVORS, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, DRIED GARLIC.
What is the difference between Louisiana and Nashville chicken?
Louisiana style refers to the seasoning which would typically also include cayenne and usually paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder (among many others). I find that Louisiana style is on the more spicy/savory spectrum whereas a Nashville style will add brown sugar to the mix for more sweet + spicy + savory.
What kind of oil does Louisiana Fried Chicken use?
Use peanut oil. It heats at a temp higher than other veggie oils before it burns. This creates fried chicken that isn’t greasy, has a crispy outside and a moist inside.