Fried chicken is comfort food at its finest. Served alongside a biscuit, atop waffles, or just on its own, fried chicken is one of the most universally loved foods around. In Fried Chicken , Southern chef Rebecca Lang collects 50 of the most tantalizing, crowd-pleasing variations on the classic.

There are perennial favorites like Buttermilk-Soaked, Bacon-Fried Chicken Smothered in Gravy; Tennessee Hot Chicken; kid-friendly Chicken Fingers; and even Gluten-Free Southern Fried Chicken. Also featured are internationally inspired recipes, such as Saigon Street Wings, Chinese Lollipop Wings, Mexican-Lime Fried Chicken Tacos, and Korean Fried Chicken with Gochujang Sauce. All of these recipes are impeccably tested, foolproof, and will have the whole family singing the praises of perfectly fried poultry.

Reprinted with permission from Fried Chicken: Recipes for the Crispy, Crunchy, Comfort-Food Classic by Rebecca Lang. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Random House LLC. Photography: Aya Brackett © 2014. You can purchase Fried Chicken at your local bookshop or through our affiliate links with Amazon or IndieBound.

BRAZILIAN FRIED CHICKEN

Serves 4 to 6

Supposedly the first ruler of Brazil often requested this peasant fried chicken dish, frango á passarinho , instead of the royal dishes he was usually offered. Walk into a bar in Brazil for happy hour and the menu will likely include a version of frango á passarinho , still popular today.

It is time-consuming to cut a whole chicken into 20 pieces without a cleaver. If you don’t have one, heavy-duty kitchen shears will do the job as well. The cuts can be random but some will be straight through the bones. Just make sure the pieces are all about the same size.

Ingredients:

• 6 cloves garlic
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1⁄2 cup chopped white onion
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1⁄4 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 chicken (about 3 pounds, 8 ounces), cut into 16 to 20 pieces
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

To make the marinade, place the garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse until minced. Add the lemon juice, onion, parsley, wine, olive oil, salt, and pepper and process until finely chopped. Transfer the marinade to a large mixing bowl, add the chicken pieces, and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, oregano, and baking powder. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and leave it in the marinade. Add the flour mixture and stir to coat the chicken evenly. Discard any marinade remaining in the bowl.

In a large heavy skillet, heat 1⁄2 inch of vegetable oil over medium heat to 365°F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Working in batches, carefully place 6 to 8 pieces of chicken in the oil. Fry, turning often, for 8 minutes, or until brown and juices run clear. Maintain a frying temperature of 340°F to 350°F. Drain the chicken on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

After all the meat is fried, turn off the heat. Line a plate with a paper towel. Place the sliced garlic in a metal strainer and slowly lower into the hot oil to fry for 10 to 15 seconds or until lightly browned.

Quickly remove the strainer from the oil and drain garlic on the prepared plate.

Serve the chicken sprinkled with garlic and additional chopped parsley.

CAMDEN’S FAVORITE CHICKEN FINGERS

Serves 4 to 6

As a mother of two, I hear more requests for chicken fingers than any other supper food. I quickly mastered making my own after studying many packages and wincing at the ingredients. Our son, Camden, couldn’t be happier, and they’re so easy; weeknights will never be the same.

I also like to make another version, replacing the all-purpose flour and bread crumbs with 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of whole wheat flour, and 3 tablespoons of milled flaxseeds. It’s such a great way to add more nutritious ingredients to a kid favorite.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 cup unseasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups buttermilk
• Pure olive oil, for frying
• 13⁄4 pounds chicken tenders (about 18 tenders)
• Homemade Honey Mustard (recipe follows), for serving
• Comeback Sauce (recipe follows), for serving

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Pour the buttermilk into another bowl.

In a large heavy skillet, heat 1⁄2 inch of olive oil over medium heat to 325°F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Working with half of the chicken tenders at a time, dip them in the buttermilk and dredge in the flour mixture. Stir the flour mixture often to keep the bread crumbs from settling to the bottom of the bowl.

Carefully place the tenders in the hot oil. Fry, turning often, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown and juices run clear. Maintain an oil temperature of 315°F to 325°F.

Drain the pieces on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chicken.

Serve the chicken fingers with honey mustard and sauce.

Homemade Honey Mustard

Makes 1/2 cup

• 1⁄4 cup yellow mustard
• 1⁄4 cup honey
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1⁄8 teaspoon paprika

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Comeback Sauce

Makes 1 1/4 cups

• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 1⁄4 cup chili sauce, such as Heinz
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1⁄4 teaspoon paprika
• 11⁄2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1⁄8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1⁄8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Cover and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

PINEAPPLE CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE SALSA

Serves 4 to 6

This tropically-inspired dish elicits remarks rarely heard about fried chicken; for example, I’ve heard it called “refreshing,” “light,” and “delightful.”

Brining the chicken in pineapple juice delivers a surprising burst of sweetness with each bite. It’s one of my favorite recipes in this book.

Ingredients:

• 1 chicken (about 4 pounds), cut into 10 pieces
• 4 cups canned pineapple juice
• 1⁄3 cup kosher salt
• 1 egg
• 21⁄2 teaspoons table salt
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can light coconut milk
• 1 cup white rice flour
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Coconut oil, for frying
• Pineapple Salsa (recipe follows), for serving

Place the chicken pieces in a large zip-top bag.

For the brine, whisk together the pineapple juice and kosher salt. Pour over the chicken, seal the bag, and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg, 1⁄2 teaspoon of the table salt, and coconut milk, and in another bowl, the rice flour, all-purpose flour, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of the table salt.

In a large heavy skillet, heat the coconut oil over medium heat to 320°F. It should be 1 inch deep when melted. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.

Working with half of the chicken at a time, remove the pieces from the brine and dredge in the flour mixture. Dip the chicken in the coconut milk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge it again in the flour. Discard the brine.

Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil. Fry, turning often, for 25 to 28 minutes, or until golden brown and juices run clear. Maintain a frying temperature of 315°F. Drain the chicken on the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Serve with the salsa.

Pineapple Salsa

Makes 3 1/2 cups

• 1 fresh pineapple (about 3 pounds, 4 ounces), peeled and cored
• 3 green onions, white and green parts, finely sliced
• 1 red chile pepper, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lime
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt

Finely chop the pineapple. Stir together the pineapple, onions, chile pepper, zest, and salt. Cover and chill until serving.

Rebecca Lang is a food writer, cooking instructor, television personality, and a ninth-generation Southerner. Born and raised in South Georgia, she is the author of Southern Living‘s Around the Southern Table , which appeared on QVC and sold 3,600 copies in 6 minutes. She is also the author of Quick-Fix Southern , Mary Mac’s Tea Room , and Southern Entertaining for a New Generation . Rebecca and her cooking have been featured in more than 50 nationally televised Southern Living food segments and in publications such as the Wall Street Journal , the Atlanta Journal-Constitution , the Washington Post , the Houston Chronicle , Wine Enthusiast , and The Daily Meal . She serves as a contributing editor for Southern Living and myrecipes.com, teaches cooking classes across America, and is the spokesperson for Georgia’s official vegetable, Vidalia onions.