Crispy Garlic Chicken Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to crispy chicken skin? ›

That trick is a sprinkling of baking powder, and it'll get you the crispiest, crackliest bites of fatty, salty skin imaginable, whether you're cooking just one thigh, a plate of wings, or an entire bird. Baking powder, it turns out, is good for quite a lot more than baking.

You can also get a nice crust on chicken by starting it out in the oven: follow your recipe, or heat the oven to between 400° to 450°F, place a rack in the top third (the hottest part) of the oven, and slide a pan of chicken pieces in, skin side up. The skin will be crisp by the time the chicken is cooked through.

Ingredient Tips

My not-so-secret tip to the best fried chicken is a combination of FLOUR, CORNSTARCH, and BAKING POWDER. When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.)

The baking powder raises the pH of the surface, allowing it to crisp better*), and tossing in plain cornstarch to absorb some surface moisture and create a rougher texture for the batter to adhere to. *See more on the science of baking powder and chicken wings in this article on oven-fried buffalo wings.

The flour and other dry ingredients seal in moisture to prevent the food from becoming tough. The coating helps to brown the food and provides a crunchy layer. The seasoning in the coating adds flavor to your food.

If the meat isn't fried at an adequate temperature or for a long enough period, this undercooked gluten creates a sogginess that can ruin even the best-quality pork chops or chicken. To prevent this, swap out your flour for cornstarch.

If your oil temp is too high, your fried chicken will be scorched on the outside with meat that is undercooked. If the oil is too cool, your chicken will be greasy and will lack the golden-brown crispy exterior you want.

So if you want to achieve crispy chicken skin, you'll need to pan-fry it in oil. Go for options with high smoke points, such as canola, sunflower, and peanut oil, but stay away from olive oil for this dish, as its lower smoke point generally means you won't want to use it for frying.

High heat equals a crispy bird. Set your oven to 450°F with the rack in the lower third and preheat your skillet, which helps keep pan contents from sticking.

If you're craving some extra crunch, look no further than a staple you probably already have in your pantry: cornstarch. Cornstarch is frequently added to foods to give them an extra bit of crispiness, but for some reason it's not commonly included in roasted vegetable recipes.

How does KFC get their chicken so crispy? ›

KFC deep fries its chicken for 15 minutes and then drains the oil off for another five minutes – 20 minutes in total. If you don't have a deep fryer, heat up plenty of oil in a large saucepan and do it that way.

If your oil temp is too high, your fried chicken will be scorched on the outside with meat that is undercooked. If the oil is too cool, your chicken will be greasy and will lack the golden-brown crispy exterior you want.