Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Usa had a custom of deep frying chicken pieces in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasonings to the process andmakingtheir own presentationof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later became thecooksin many a Southern American house where deep-fried chicken became a typical staple. They also found that it lasted well well inhotclimatic conditions before refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost an every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 called “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at dinner the local people would eat fricassee of pullet which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known food for deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most celebrated cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her food had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original food...
Joint two chickens into quarters; lay them in vinegar for 3-4 hours with pepper, salt, bay and a few cloves. Make a very thick batter first with ½ pint of wine and flour then 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and lay them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a superior gravy. Today, we have changed the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which has nearly zero trans fats and we use a brine of buttermilk and salt to season our chicken throughout. It’s amazing to think how far this process has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
