There's a special place for fried chicken on everyone's menu and what's not to love about hot, crisp, golden-brown morsels of pure genius? Absolutely nothing, especially when it's done perfectly. We share a few crisp truths for achieving fried chicken glory at home and some winning fried chicken recipes, too.
Pick your chick wisely
Drumsticks, thighs and wings are a popular choice but using a whole baby chicken, including the breast, can work wonders. Simply chop up into manageable pieces, including the breasts which can be halved to make sure they stay nice and juicy in the fry-up. There's nothing dry over here thanks to this juicy Taiwanese-style schnitzel recipe.
Taiwanese fried chicken Source: Feast magazine / Brett Stevens
Place warm water, salt and sugar (as well as any spices) in a large pot with the chicken. This is also where you can add other flavour profiles – such as these recipes making use of maple syrup, buttermilk, ouzo or wine or even strained pickle juice. Once you've nailed your brine, cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 12 hours – doing this keeps your chicken at its juiciest and reduces the risk of quickly drying out your pieces during the fry-up.
If you're short on time, Adam Liaw's zangi (Hokkaido fried chicken) recipe skips the long marinade but delivers a flavour punch with sake, soy sauce, ginger and garlic flavoured batter.
Source: Jiwon Kim
Don't be shy to spice your flour. Cayenne pepper, ground clove, coriander, sweet and/or smoked paprika, chilli, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, mixed herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary) - the list is endless. In Shane Delia's dirty south fried chicken recipe, his secret weapon is chicken stock powder – this is one way to make sure the salt factor doesn't go missing. Toss your brined chicken pieces through the spiced flour and shake off any excess before frying.
No, you don't need a deep-fryer
A frying or cast iron pan or skillet filled with oil can still give you great heat control and perfectly cooked chicken – so don't fret about making it at home. The keys are the oil and frying your chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown. If you're worried about under-cooking your chicken you can also fry your pieces and then finish cooking your chicken in a preheated oven – this is good when using larger pieces.
And if you're wondering about how to cook fried chicken in an air fryer, try this airfryer chicken tenders recipe.
Airfryer chicken tenders with quick barbecue sauce Source: Kitti Gould
Medium-hot oil is non-negotiable and crucial for success. Make sure you let your meat sit out of the fridge for 30-60 minutes in the marinade before cooking, otherwise your hot oil will go to waste and your crisp dreams will fall very flat. Use an oil with a high-smoke point such as canola, peanut or vegetable and while a thermometer is best (invest in one, it's worth it) if you don't have one, you can flick a little flour into the oil and if it sizzles then it's usually ready to roll. If you're a sucker for flavour you can also infuse your oil with peeled garlic cloves, bay leaves or chopped chilli prior to adding your chicken.
Drain not dry
Some recipes call for old faithful paper towel to soak up all that excess oil once fried. While this isn't a deal-breaker, it also isn't your friend as it can take all your hard work and reduce it to soggy status. Instead, draining your pieces on a wire rack over some baking paper works best and saves on paper towels without compromising your coating and all your efforts.
Looking for good fried chicken recipes? Here's a few we've prepared earlier...
Two favourites in one dish as buttermilk-marinated fried chicken joins up with a smooth hollandaise!
Fried chicken benedict Source: Adam Liaw
Kara-age is a Japanese favourite and is found on izakaya menus everywhere. A light but flavourful soy-based marinade sits underneath a very light flour coating and frying the chicken three times at high heat with resting time in between, produces a crispy skin.
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This recipe brings together two fried chicken worlds, taking inspiration from Japanese karaage and the world-famous Southern Kentucky fried chicken. The secret to this southern fried chicken greatness is a punchy herb and spice mix that includes thyme, basil, celery salt, pepper, mustard powder, paprika and chicken stock. Mixed with potato starch, it creates a marvellous, flavoursome coating for the juicy chicken.
Source: Jiwon Kim
Make your own Cajun spice mix to add a touch of spice to deep-fried chicken wings. The extra spice mix can be stored in a jar in the pantry for up to 6 months - so that means spiced fried chicken isn't far away at all. Serve with a tangy coriander-buttermilk dressing.
Source: Brett Stevens
Popcorn chicken – yan su ji – is a popular street food in Taipei, and once you try it with this Adam Liaw recipe you’ll see why. The crunchy texture of the sweet potato flour coating is incredible.
Source: Steve Brown / Hachette
This Malaysian favourite is ridiculously simple to put together. It's excellent as a casual starter or finger food and makes a superb beer snack.
Source: (Randy Larcombe Photography)
The secret to Shane Delia's fried chicken is that sweet paprika coating. With a barbecued corn salad, this dish is where the texture, sweetness and smoky crunch collide. #RecipeForLife
Southern fried chicken Source: Shane Delia's Recipe For Life
Vibrant flavours of the Mediterranean come alive. This chicken is coated in a garlicky, zesty marinade, and flavoured with fragrant herbs, before being fried and then served up with a shot or two of ouzo. Opa!
Originating in Chennai, southern India, this spicy snack is now a mainstay on menus all over the country. There are countless theories that surround the number 65 in its name – some say that’s how many days the chicken should be reared for, while others claim it refers to the amount of chillies that should be added. Semantics (and all else) will fade to a distant memory at just one bite of this deep-fried favourite.
Fried chicken and waffles is a typical American soul food dish served at any time of the day. For an Asian-American twist, this recipe makes karaage chicken and drizzles with a mean ranch dressing.
Karaage chicken and waffles with ranch dressing
