battered chicken breast

This is part of a single frozen chicken breast, half of a chicken breast actually, but it sure is big even so. I thought it was two frozen together. It was very easy to see the direction the fibers ran so it was sliced against the direction resulting in short fibers. 

Vegetable oil is heated to 350℉/175℃

Chicken strips are dusted in seasoned flour and set aside. 

A batter is created using the seasoned flour, this time with a cold egg, a half cup of milk, and then sufficient cold water to thin the batter. One level half-teaspoon of baking powder to create tiny bubbles in the batter, and two large ice cubes.

 [There are several ways to lighten the batter besides baking powder. Cold club soda in place of cold milk and cold water, beer, baking soda combined with something acidic to create a reaction, ice-cold water and ice cold batter, various combination of flours with various crisping characteristics, including all purpose wheat flour, rice flour, corn starch, etc.]

Seasoned flour

*  three heaping tablespoons AP flour

* generous grinds black pepper

* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

* 1 level teaspoon cayenne powder

Chicken strips cut from a single large half breast are dusted in that ↑ and set aside on a separate plate. The powdering provides a surface for the batter to adhere. Then liquid ingredients are added to create a loose dripping batter. Thick batter creates a thick dense coating. Thin batter creates a thin light coating. If you add too much leavening agents for the amount of flour in the bowl, then the coating will resemble crispy foam. 

Battter:

*  All the seasoned flour ↑ that was prepared to dust the chicken strips. 

*  1 cold raw egg

*  1/2 cup cold milk

*  1/2 cup ice-cold water (added in increments while whisking to a thin batter)

*  2 large ice cubes

Chicken strips cook really fast. The temperature of the oil drops when the cold chicken is added so keep the heat on to bring it back up quickly. When the batter coating turns golden brown then the thinly-cut chicken inside is fairly certainly done. Test a piece. The batter can always be adjusted along the way, thinning, thickening, more air, more cornstarch, flavor.