TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition of deep-frying poultry in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages.
The Scottish immigrants would often labor, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the process andproducingtheir own interpretationof crispy deep-fried chicken.
These Africans later evolved to be thechefsin many a Southern American family where crispy deep-fried chicken became a frequent staple.
This is said to have come from a male called James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 called “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his journal he noted that at meals the local people would eat fricassee of pullet which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”.
What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also learned that it transported well inwarmweather prior to refrigeration was prevalent so was enjoyed on almost every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to labor.
Since then it has become the south's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most renowned cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy.
Her procedure had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original mix...
Joint two chickens into pieces; steep 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 the yolks of two eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a good quality deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and lay them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a high-quality gravy. In the present day, we have changed the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which contains 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 procedure has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
