I got a tip from Andrea Nguyen, Vietnamese cookbook author extraordinaire. To know when the oil is hot enough, put the tip of a wooden chopstick in the oil. If it bubbles up around it it’s ready.
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Oh, nice. We use similar techniques. I use self-rising flour which is really just AP w/baking powder. I shallow fry it in cast iron w/a thermometer rigged to the pan (keeping oil the right temp is the key, imo). I also cover the pan, and will start turning the pieces more often - aside from not burning, it probably helps the chicken cook more evenly.
My cousin just bought a fryer and her chicken comes out perfect. But that’s too easy. The fun of frying chicken is challenging myself to get the right scald while keeping the meat moist & juicy.
Thanks for sharing. Now I want to fry some chicken. 
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There is a new invention to measure (oil) temperature - thermometer (much more accurate and will give you better, consistent results)
Oh yes, but when I’m shallow frying it’s hard to get an accurate reading. For things like chicken, I’ve this found trick more than adequate.
Romaine Salad w/Pickled Shallots
These shallots were only pickled during the time it took to make the main course - they’re probably great today. Oh, and I took a few off after the photo, because these pretty little things are pungent when raw.
…More Chicken & Shrooms
This time I made panko crusted cutlets. The sauce is chicken schmaltz I’ve been saving, broth, wine, truffle butter, cracked pepper… and… get ready… Veganaise! It’s a good, creamy thickener if you don’t have cream or you’re trying to tone down the cholesterol in-take, plus it never separates or gets oily. I guess you could call it a hack. 
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Romaine Salad w/Granny Smith Apples, Toasted Pecans, Dried Cranberries, Sleeping Beauty Raw Cows Milk Cheese, Croutons & Honey Lime Dressing
Pork Chops w/Mustard Pan Sauce & Fingerlings
The sage was just for show. I meant to flash fry it or put in the sauce but forgot. I also forgot to tell my husband not to eat it. But I didn’t hear any complaints, so… 
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For some unknown reason salads with fruit and nuts don’t usually appeal to me but that looks fantastic! And did you make that sauce recently for something else? Also drool-worthy. Thanks for sharing.
Oh thanks. I recently made a mustard cream sauce w/stoneground mustard, half/half & shrooms for sautéed chicken breasts - posted on a Portobello Mushroom thread. This one was a quick pan sauce - few tbls of dijon mustard & chicken broth, heated & reduced in the same pan with the drippings.
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That does work well. But I like to be precise with fried chicken. A lot of the complaints you see on the fried chicken posts come from improper temps, I think.
I’ll confess that though I was born and raised a Southerner I’m not sure I’ve ever fried chicken!!! But I do great shrimp 
I made char siu fried rice burritos the other day.
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Cool bro, I do the same here! Except using scallion pancake for wrap, and adding Lao Gan Ma as pico de gallo… #chineseharder lol
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Copyright?
When Chinesing, add more carbs.
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Le Sloppy Joe
Country White Bread Grilled in a Cast Iron Skillet, Topped w/Guggisberg Baby Swiss, Cover to Melt.
Browned Ground Chicken, Sautéed Onions, Whipped Garlic (from Sunnin Cafe takeout), Dried Italian Herbs, Poultry Seasoning, Whisked Homemade Stock w/Tbls Veganaise, Water, Cracked Pepper, added to Chix Mixture, Simmered & Reduced, Topped w/Shredded Robusto.
Side bar: Cooking at home is where I learn how much salt we don’t need - just use my head. I didn’t add any salt during cooking and planned to finish with a sprinkle of urbani truffle salt. But after sautéing, browning, adding liquid mixture, reducing then tasting, it didn’t need it. There was enough natural salt from some ingredients, the cooking process and salt in the stock, veganaise, cheeses and maybe the whipped garlic. Now, if I had a restaurant (or cooking for guests) I probably would’ve put the extra sprinkle of salt. But that sprinkle would’ve been waaay less than what chefs and cooks are doing today!
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That looks really good @Emglow101. How did you get the char? Did you use an oven? The fireplace you showed a while back? What?
Obviously I’m not em but here’s the technique I’ve been using for quite a while:
And your meal looks fantastic!
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That seems simple enough if you have the right cookware. Thanks.
