Crispy fried chicken is a traditional favorite! Whether at a family gathering or a church picnic, this dish has offered comfort throughout all generations. Yet, it’s not as easy to make as it looks.
Want to make fried chicken, juicy and tender on the inside while perfectly crispy on the outside? Here are 5 tips to show you how!
- Seasonings and marinades that make crispy fried chicken
- Using the correct cooking oil for fried chicken
- Pre heat the pan before you fry
- Adjust the heat
- Don’t use paper towels if you want to keep it crispy!
Seasonings and Marinades That Make Crispy Fried Chicken
A good marinade serves a couple purposes. One of course is to add flavor or make the meat taste better. The other is to make the meat tender. Acids do this. For example in a buttermilk marinade the lactic acid in the buttermilk reacts to the proteins in the meat increasing their water content and breaking down it’s structure. Another method is a brine, which is a solution of salt dissolved in water with other spices of your choosing. It’s best to soak the meat in the brine for 12-24 hours, refrigerated of course.
You can add sugar, honey, or maple syrup to make to make the brine sweeter (this is especially tasty for pork). Add cayenne, smoked paprika, or cumin to give it a kick! You can add seasonings to the brine, however, I wouldn’t add too many. Since the meat soaks in the marinade or brine for 12-24 hours whatever seasonings are added has a lot of time to soak in and amplify its flavor.
These seasonings can be added to the coating as well. Don’t forget salt and pepper. Himalayan pink salt or sea salt adds nutrients in addition to salty flavor. If you use a brine for your marinade you may want to decrease the amount of salt you add to your coating. You can also add seasonings to the cooking oil, like fresh ginger, bay leaves or some minced garlic cloves.
How do I make a coating?
A coating will have a flour base. All purpose white flour is traditionally used, however, there are healthier options. If you are watching your weight mixing the fats in fried foods with simple carbohydrates may not aide your endeavors. Nut flours like almond, flax seed. or coconut flours have a lower glycemic index. Most are available gluten free as well. We use Baking Blend from Trim Healthy Mama. It is a blend of all of three of the nut flours mentioned and a great gluten free option!
I also like to add Himalayan pink salt and pepper. Nutrional yeast can incorporate several extra nutrients as well as enhance the crispiness of the coating, making it that a gorgeous golden brown color fried chicken is known for. If you don’t want to add the sweet or spicy seasonings to the brine, feel free to add them here.
Use the Correct Oil for Fried Chicken
What kind of oil can be used to fry chicken? The type of oil is crucial, so be sure to choose one with a high smoking point. This means you can set the stove burner on medium or medium high and the oil will not smoke. Olive oil, even while having many health benefits, is not an option, as it’s smoking point is low. Peanut oil, coconut oil and lard can be used for frying (cooking at higher temperatures).
How much oil is needed to fry chicken in a pan? Some cooks will say a few inches to simulate a deep fryer. However, that method isn’t the only way. To pan fry chicken, I just add enough to see a pool of standing oil. A quarter of an inch or less is sufficient and you can always add more. Coconut oil is pricey so we don’t want to use more than is needed and we only have a limited stock of lard, as we make it ourselves.
Pre Heat the Pan Before You Fry
Whether you are using cast iron or stainless steel, you must preheat the pan. I use a cast iron skillet and preheat my pan on medium, allowing the oil to heat up as well, around 335 degrees Fahrenheit. This cooking temperature will give the crispy on the outside and cooked through, but still moist on the inside result you want. No need to bring out the thermometer! Just drop a dab of flour into the oil and if it immediately starts sizzling-your ready!
Adjust the Heat
My mom taught me the secret to perfectly crispy and juicy fried chicken is adjusting the heat. She should know-she’s southern! First you sear the meat by starting out at the medium setting. The crispy coating is like a barrier keeping the juices (aka savory meat and bone broth) from slowly seeping out into the pan during cooking. It seals in the flavor. You’ll want to sear the chicken on medium for about five minutes.
After that turn the temperature down to low and just let it cook. Don’t rush it! Good food like this takes time. Let the chicken cook for about 20 minutes on low. Your stove may be different and your skillet also. Cast iron will hold heat more so than stainless steel. So check it. When the coating on the bottom has firmed up into a crispy solid piece and the chicken is golden, no longer that naked pale raw chicken color, then it is time to flip. Continue to cook the new side of the chicken on low for another 20 minutes. Check if you need to add more oil. If you don’t see a shallow pool of oil standing in the pan then add more.
When the second side has cooked for about 20 minutes and the chicken meat looks cooked, then increase the temperature back up to medium to crisp the coating. This should only take about five minutes. When the coating is solid and crispy it’s time to take it out of the pan!
Don’t Use Paper Towels If You Want To Keep It Crispy!
I admit I did this for years! Nobody wants fried chicken dripping with grease, right? Yet, nobody wants to take their hour of effort for perfectly crispy fried chicken and undo it all. Draining the fried chicken on a paper towel traps in moisture as the chicken cools. Where does that moisture go? Straight back into your previously perfect crispy coating turning it a bit mushy. Don’t take the chicken that you spend an hour frying…and place it on a plate with paper towels.
I picked up this tip and it’s a game changer! Cover a baking sheet with a wire rack. Dab the fried chicken on paper towels as you take them out of the pan, then place them on the wire rack. Now you have removed most of the oil and the rest can now freely drip off the chicken as it cools maintaining that crispy golden outside you worked so hard for!
What are your favorite seasonings for fried chicken?
Comment below and let me know!