When Making Fried Chicken, Size Matters
The world sure does love its fried chicken. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Americans consumed an average of 65.2 pounds of chicken per capita in 2018. While you might think this is a lot, it's nothing compared to the citizens of Australia. Believe it or not, the average person in Australia consumes a whopping average of 205 pounds of chicken every year, making it the number one country in the world for fried chicken consumption (via El Pollo Norteño).
This may surprise you, but it's just another data point though that shows that size does matter when it comes to fried chicken. With over 335.5 million citizens in the United States and only 26 million citizens in Australia, the size of the country should be considered. Although having a fraction of the amount of citizens, Australia still consumes more than the United States.
No matter where you are in the world, hopefully you've learned a thing or two when it comes to making fried chicken. If not, study up on these fried chicken myths that you probably still believe but shouldn't. Another myth? While you might have gone your whole life thinking that size doesn't matter, it sometimes does. That includes the size of your fried chicken if you're looking for optimal results.
Bigger isn't always better
While boasting a bigger size is usually better for a lot of other life activities, bigger isn't always better when it comes to fried chicken. Yep, you heard that right. If you're looking to cook up some world-famous fried chicken anytime soon, make sure you pay attention to the size of your chicken. According to Southern Living, obtaining a chicken ranging between two and a half to three pounds should be just right. If you try to fry a chicken larger than that, you could run into the problem of it needing more cook time.
Because the chicken is bigger and needs more time to cook, it could lead to undercooked meat while over-frying the outside crust. Nobody wants to eat undercooked chicken, but also no one wants to eat a half-burnt crispy coating either. With this in mind, our crispy fried chicken recipe calls for each piece to be fried for 12 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (via USDA). Plus, you'll be able to compensate the smaller, average size of your fried chicken with the way that it tastes. After all, it's how the food makes people feel overall that matters the most.