 When being cooked , fried chicken is often divided into smaller pieces . The chicken is then generally covered in a batter , often consisting of ingredients such as eggs or milk . This is used to create a crust on the exterior of the meat . In addition , seasoning is often added at this stage . Once the chicken is ready to be cooked , it is placed in a deep fryer , frying pan or pressure cooker ( depending on the method used ) and fried in lard or a type of oil . 
