For The Crispiest Fried Chicken, Try This Flour Swap

Fried chicken, on its golden brown surface, might seem simple. The dish consists of juicy cuts of breaded or battered chicken (bone-in or out) that are fried until perfectly crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside. However, anyone who knows anything about the art of making fried chicken knows that it is best approached with lots of caution and an eye toward detail. 

Now, there are plenty of methods for improving fried chicken, including marinating it in pickle juice or buttermilk. Most of these tip focus on tenderizing chicken's meat. But what about the breading? How can one step-up the crispy crunchiness of it all? Well, you might want to think about switching up your flour. 

There are several flour alternatives you can use (including the uniquely formulated Wondra flour that Jacques Pépin uses for his extra-crispy fried chicken), but you might want to consider rice flour. It absorbs less oil than most, yielding wonderfully crispy (and definitely not clumpy or soggy) results. This also keeps your chicken's breading perfectly light for a super-satisfying crunch.

Using rice flour in fried chicken is not a new practice. It's often used in Korean fried chicken, a dish well-known for its thin, light breading and juicy, meaty interior. Some restaurants, including Burger King, use rice flour on french fries in order to achieve a better crisp in the fryer. And, because it absorbs less oil, it might actually be a more healthy choice. Rice flour is also a great option for those who restrict gluten from their diets since it is entirely gluten-free. 

If you want some really, supremely crunchy chicken, there are a few other tips you might want to try out. For one, you can add cornstarch to your flour mix. It helps chicken crisp up while also helping the breading stick to your chicken. You can also mix cornstarch in with a marinade or toss your chicken in cornstarch prior to dipping the chicken in batter. You should also make sure not to add your chicken into the oil too soon; if your frying oil is too cool, your chicken is more likely to absorb excess moisture, making it heavy and soggy.