Fried chicken (also referred to as
Southern fried chicken) is a dish consisting of
chicken pieces usually from
broiler chickens which have been floured or
battered and then
pan-fried,
deep fried, or
pressure fried. The
breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior. What separates fried chicken from other fried forms of chicken is that generally the chicken is cut at the joints and the bones and skin are left intact. Crisp well-seasoned skin, rendered of excess fat, is a hallmark of well made fried chicken.