I used to make fried chicken nuggets all the time (not fried chicken, like whole drumsticks) last year and they turned out perfect. I'm gluten free now so I'm trying to figure out a gluten free recipe. I use eggs and flour, not breadcrumbs though.

i use about:

1-1/2 cups flour, unless more is needed.

3 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons salt

2 teaspoons pepper

3 tablespoons garlic powder

i know you said that you didn't want any garlic, but it really adds to the flavor.

Also try some paprika, a touch of oregano, onion powder.

Taste the flour to make sure it is seasoned enough, never thought of that til I saw a chef recommend it awhile ago.

Sigh. Thanks, Kathy. I did that the first time and thought it had a kick but was told it was fine but bland. :/

Paprika is a good idea, Sushipup.

What I really need is a good rule for proportions, like x salt for y flour.

Season55, I don't see why it wouldn't work with gluten free flour. You don't actually develop the gluten in frying chicken, I don't think. No puffy bubbles!

I so haven't thought of that, pllog. I should use it

Although I haven't fried chicken in a very long while, Mom taught us to put 1 cup flour in a paper bag, add 1 t salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and about 1/4 t paprika. Put the chicken in the bag and shake well. We always started with legs, thighs, wings, neck, etc, breasts and the pulley bone piece were always last into the hot oil in the cast iron skillet. The last time I fried chicken, I put the floured chicken on a tray and put in refrigerator for about 30 minutes; that made the flour and seasoning adhere better to the chicken as it was frying. Never have known of anyone to batter chicken or dip it in egg.

Funny, there was a food show on earlier and I heard a guy say: "some people season their flour, some people season their crumbs... we season our meat". He said they season their chicken and let it marinate 24 hrs before coating to fry it. He didn't say what seasonings/marinade they used, but it made perfect sense.

Well, that makes good sense. I'm not into big marinades for top quality chicken, but the seasoning should stick to the meat while coating and then one would be sure of what one was getting. Maybe add a little flour for bulk so it doesn't get over seasoned.

Really depends on taste preference. I like my crust on fried chicken salty and with plenty of pepper.

You "pretty universal"...? Salt and pepper and a bit of paprika?
I flour my chicken and then egg it and then matzoa meal....seasoned.
I go easy on the salt as it's easily added, and dont season the flour at all. I add some salt to the egg....about what you would use for an egg on your plate.
But I season the cracker meal. To a cup of meal, perhaps half a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of mild chili powder....the kind that is mild red peppers and cumin. If I don't have the stuff with the cumin I add about 1/4 teaspoon of ground cumin... and a good tablespoon of dry parsley, crushed.
Probably not "universal" enough for you....but little kids love it. Thinking of one passover when the kids wouldn't eat anything but frozen chicken nuggets and the Jewish grandma was demanding kosher for passover. Cut up chicken breast so it looked like the frozen crap and they scarfed it down. Fried in peanut oil, don't tell the Jewish grandma.....and reheated in the oven.

Chick-fil-a marinates there's in pickle juice.

I always have a tub of this in the pantry. I use it for fried chicken, chicken fried steak, browning meats for soups and stews, gravy, etc.

Seasoned Flour

10 cups flour
1 cup paprika
2 TBLS garlic powder
4 TBLS black pepper
4 TBLS seasoning salt

Thank-you, Linda! I was hoping you'd chime in. Your ingredients aren't "universal", but they're so specific, I can adapt from there. Angelid, same thing. Good specifics--LOTS of paprika, huh? I'm ready for the next round, I think! A lot of things taste salty to me when other people can't taste it. Knowing how much salt and other seasonings should be there will help me a lot.

Pickle juice sounds interesting, Season55. I'll try that some time. :)

I use flour, seasoning salt, paprika, thyme, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk and a few seasonings. If you want a lot of crusty batter on your chicken, do a double dip...that is, dip in the flour mixture lightly, put back in the buttermilk mixture and then back to the flour...scrunch it around with your hands to get the flour to stick. I fry up a few pieces of batter that is left over and the kids fight over it.

I fry in a cast iron pan in batches...it is put into a 350 oven to finish cooking for the last ten or fifteen minutes (on a rack with cookie sheet under).

Season55, I take it that's more of a brine than a vinegar? Thinking that the latter would curdle the milk?

Milk plus vinegar would yield a form of buttermilk. When you don't have buttermilk, add some lemon juice to regular milk. So if you just use buttermilk in the first place you don't need the brine/pickle juice/vinegar.

Pllog, I've made it before and it didn't curdle on me, and I left it in there for thirty minutes. I breaded it and then fried it in peanut oil. It was actually pretty good, not exactly like chick-fil-a but very close.

I make my own seasoning mix. Everything from paprika, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder goes into it. Excellent for putting on pork chops, eggs, chicken, taco seasoning for taco salad etc etc. I wouldn't be without it.

Well, I've never eaten a chick-fil-a, so that's not an issue. I sometimes feel guilty throwing out the pickle juice though, and I thought if it made a different flavor for the chicken, it might be interesting. The chickens I buy are tender and don't need marinating, but my first thought if I needed to would be buttermilk or milk. I'll try to remember the half hour in pickle juice next time I have pickle juice. I'm wondering if it isn't just a way to get a lot of salt and garlic in, though. :)

Flavoring isn't my issue. It was knowing the right proportions to the flour so that other people would think there was sufficient seasoning was what I needed. :) There's no way pickle juice is going to make it underseasoned!

Yep! I have partially tender chicken but the pickle juice and milk flavor it or something, not completely sure but it does have excellent flavor in the end, just enough salt. You can't taste the pickle juice though, it just tastes amazing!!!!!!

Plllog, I am curious why you have never had a chick-fil-a sandwich? They have a distinctive taste. It's culturally educational.

Chik-Fil-A does not have wide distribution in many parts of the country. Plus there's the political boycott issue, which may not apply to Pillog, but is important to many people. And lots of people (me included) never would consider a fast-food chicken sandwich when having lunch out.

I forgot about the distribution thing. They are everywhere here and are often the best choice in fast food.

I think there are actually some outlets around here somewhere, but it's so not on my radar I don't know where they are. I don't know anyone who eats there so haven't been taken there, either. I don't know enough about the case to really comment much on the boycott. I thought the point was moot. I'd rather have a falafel pita...

I'm a Pennsylvania girl through and through, so fried chicken was never on my radar. My very southern husband loves it (and doesn't get it from my kitchen.) My son, however, loves fried chicken and chik-fil-a, and also likes to cook. This summer he did the brined in pickle juice thing and fried the chicken on the grill's side burner in my cast-iron skillet. (god in heaven, what a mess....) Verdict--it was delicious. I don't know about tasting like chikfila, but we all loved it.

Yep, it is delicous!