IAAPA Expo | Virtual Education Conference, November 16, 17, and 18, features exciting opportunities to connect with fellow members of the attractions industry, including exclusive cooking demonstrations from Wilf Seymour, director, food and beverage at Knott's Berry Farm.
Mrs. Knott's Fried Chicken is the dish that started it all. Before Knott's Berry Farm was an award-winning theme park, it was...a berry farm. The Knotts sold homemade jams and jellies made from their boysenberries and operated a seasonal tea room, but when the Great Depression hit, Cordelia Knott started offering her fried chicken on the menu. A culinary star was born and the popularity of what became Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant eventually led to the creation of the beloved theme park.
Mrs. Knott's Fried Chicken
Ingredients:
2-3 pounds of frying chicken, cut in eighths
2 cups unbleached flour
1 quart oil (or enough to cover chicken)
Steps:
- Cover chicken with salted water (3 quarts water, 1 cup kosher salt) and soak for 1-3 hours.
- Drain chicken, rinse, and pat dry.
- Coat each piece of chicken with flour and shake off any excess flour.
- Fill an 8-8.5 quart pot about halfway with oil and heat to 350-375 degrees. When you add the chicken, the temperature will drop. Keep it at 300-325 degrees while the chicken fries. (Do not overcrowd chicken in pot.)
- Cover and fry for 20 minutes.
- Remove chicken with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
- 15 minutes before serving, heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet, and refry chicken for 15 minutes.
