Not all fried chicken is created equal, and we have some under-the-radar tips and tricks for creating lip-smacking fried chicken that'll have everyone wanting to steal your secrets. Whether you're making chicken for dinner at home or a picnic outing, these small measures will create big-time improvements in your fried chicken game.
1. Cut up the chicken properly
Satisfy both dark meat and white meat preference but using a whole chicken cut into pieces. Whether you cut up the bird yourself or buy it pre-butchered, it pays to go an extra step and cut each chicken breast into two or three pieces. Smaller breast pieces will have a cooking time more in line with the legs and thighs. The breasts will also be less prone to overcooking, as large chicken breasts tend to get golden and crispy on the outside before being fully cooked on the inside.
2. Make a marinade
The secret to succulent fried chicken starts with a marinade or brine, which keeps the chicken at its peak juiciness. Fried chicken traditionalists generally choose a buttermilk marinade while others swear by a brine, which is a mixture of sugar, salt and sometimes spices dissolved into water. Up the ante by going the route of a buttermilk brine. Into 1 cup of water, stir in 1/4 cup kosher salt, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and spices like smoked paprika, stirring until dissolved. Add 3 to 4 cups of buttermilk to finish the buttermilk brine. Then soak the chicken, refrigerated, in the brine, overnight before proceeding with the recipe.
The best fried chicken needs a long and luxurious soak in the buttermilk brine. Aim for the chicken pieces to spend at least 24 hours in the liquid with a maximum of 48 hours.
4. Season generously
Sure, you’ve already had the chicken sit in a buttermilk brine, but that’s no reason to skimp on more spices and salt. Adding salt during each step of the fried chicken process is a key to banishing blandness, while you can pump up the flavor even more by adding spices to the chicken's coating. For the breading station, add items like chile powder, garlic powder, cayenne powder, salt and black pepper to the flour dredge. For the milk, stir in any wet condiment, such as hot sauce or Sriracha.
5. Use the correct cooking oil and temperature
While a deep fryer isn’t needed for the perfect fried chicken (a cast iron pan with a few inches of oil is fine), the type of oil used is crucial, so be sure to choose one with a high smoke point, such as canola or peanut oil. Heat it until the oil temperature is around 335°F — the best temperature for chicken that's crispy on the outside and cooked through but still moist on the inside. A thermometer is the best way to determine that the oil is the proper temperature, but an easy way to determine temperature without a thermometer is to flick a little flour into the hot oil. When the flour sizzles upon hitting the oil, it’s frying time. Another genius tip for extra flavor: Season the cooking oil with a few pieces of ginger, peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves or other seasonings, before cooking the chicken. Just fry the aromatics in the oil when warming; remove and discard before adding the chicken.
6. Ditch the paper towels
Don’t ruin all your hard work creating golden fried chicken by placing the finished product on a layer of paper towels. This can cause the chicken to steam, making all the crispiness turn soggy. Instead, cover a baking sheet with a wire rack. When each fried chicken piece is finished frying, carefully transfer to the wire rack. The chicken will cool with the excess oil dripping off the rack, all without ruining your masterpiece.
Proper cooling sets the crust and ensures that the chicken will have done all its carryover cooking. I like to cool any leftover chicken completely and then store in a paper towel-lined airtight container in the fridge. The paper towel absorbs condensation and keeps that chicken crisp for midnight snacking.
Proper cooling sets the crust and ensures that the chicken will have done all its carryover cooking. I like to cool any leftover chicken completely and then store in a paper towel-lined airtight container in the fridge. The paper towel absorbs condensation and keeps that chicken crisp for midnight snacking.
This allows the salt to absorb into the chicken, meaning that flavor builds not only in the coating but also throughout the meat. Brining helps keep the chicken moist as well. Salt plays a crucial role in the crispy coating, too.
Pour the milk mixture over the chicken, making sure it is fully submerged. Cover the dish or seal the bag, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. When you're ready to cook the chicken, remove it from the marinade and discard the excess liquid.
If you are cooking on the stovetop, heat the oil in an oven-safe skillet, such as a cast iron skillet, almost to the point of smoking, then sear the chicken, skin side down, until it's nice and crisp. Once the skin is crispy, flip the chicken pieces and finish out the rest of the cooking in a 400° to 450° F oven.
This usually equates to around 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for breasts, thighs and legs. For the best tasting fried chicken with a beautifully even golden crumb, turn your chicken pieces with tongs (being careful not to splash yourself with hot oil) every 1 – 2 minutes.
Do not let your frying oil drop below 325F when frying! I highly recommend you use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature. If you see it dropping below 325F, fry your chicken in batches, as it is likely due to crowding. Frying at a low temperature will result in too much moisture (AKA SOGGY).
Brining helps tenderize and flavor the meat. You can use a simple mix of salt and water (three quarts of water to one tablespoon of salt) or buttermilk. An eight-hour soak is ideal. Be sure to drain and rinse the brine when you're ready to fry to prevent overly salty chicken.
Not properly marinating or seasoning the chicken: Marinating the chicken before frying can help tenderise it and add flavour. Make sure you're using a marinade with acidic ingredients, such as lemon juice or vinegar, which can help break down the meat fibres.
Overcooking chicken and buying woody chicken breast are two of the main causes behind rubbery chicken. You can stop this from happening by: buying “slow-growing” chicken. cooking your chicken in moisture.
Batter the chicken: The trick to getting the batter to stick to the chicken pieces properly is to dip the chicken into the seasoned flour, before dipping into the egg mixture.
A milk marinade produces a super tender chicken, which melts in the mouth because milk contains lactic acid, which breaks down muscle fibers in the meat. Additionally, the best milky marinade for chicken is one that uses a fermented milk product, such as buttermilk or yogurt.
Like buttermilk, can you even have fried chicken without salt and pepper? Possibly, but it will be quite dull. Sprinkle a liberal amount of each seasoning into your flour mixture before frying. For a more intense flavor, use freshly ground black pepper and ground sea salt.
Is fried chicken better with batter or flour? Fried chicken tastes fantastic with a batter or a flour coating. It's simply a matter of preference. Flour coatings like the one used in this fried chicken recipe combine flour with spices, and they sometimes add cornstarch or baking powder to the mix.
When paired with all-purpose flour, cornstarch helps prevent gluten development, which makes the flour coating crispier, and absorb moisture (from the frying and the chicken), which also means a crispier coating. If you already have a favorite fried chicken recipe, try replacing a quarter of the flour with cornstarch.
Introduction: My name is Jonah Leffler, I am a determined, faithful, outstanding, inexpensive, cheerful, determined, smiling person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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