TikTok Star Renzo (Eatwitzo) Tells Us His Ultimate Tips For The Absolute Best Fried Chicken

Few foods are as comforting as a perfectly crisp piece of fried chicken. While there are countless recipes, tricks, and hacks out there for how to make the best fried chicken, sometimes it takes an expert to help guide us to perfecting a dish. That's why we turned to TikTok star and cookbook author Renzo (Eatwitzo) to tell us his ultimate tips for the absolute best fried chicken.

We had a chance to talk one-on-one with the charismatic, yet down-to-earth, chef ahead of his upcoming appearance at the National Fried Chicken Festival (FCF) happening Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6, 2024, on the New Orleans Lakefront. The festival features over 40 restaurants, all-day entertainment across four stages, and food competitions celebrating all things fried chicken. Tickets are still available for purchase to the general public for those lucky enough to make the trip to the Big Easy.

Renzo had a lot of great food for thought that had my mouth watering and I'm excited to test out his tried-and-true methods on my own. If there is one thing this self-taught chef instilled in us, it is his "we gon make somethin outta nothin" approach to cooking. His advice isn't complicated or fussy, and it doesn't require expensive ingredients or equipment; it just needs a little tender loving care. Read on to discover Renzo's creative secrets to fried chicken success.

The first key to any dish is to buy quality ingredients. This is no less true for fried chicken. When it comes to what kind of chicken Renzo recommends buying, he follows a pretty basic rule of thumb — you get what you pay for. "I've noticed that the cheaper you buy when it comes to chicken, or any meat in general, you usually get a worse product...There may be a lot of fat that you have to trim off or even sometimes, you know, it's injected with a little water, so I usually try to stick toward the higher end on that side." This is good advice since quality chicken not only tastes better, but it is often safer to consume.

If you are unsure what to look for when it comes to freshness and quality in chicken, there are some red flags to keep in mind. First, the color of the meat should not be a grayish hue; it should be a bright pink or peach color. You should also check for blemishes on the packaging and the chicken itself, which can indicate unsafe handling or contamination. Lastly, let your nose be your guide. If the chicken smells off, don't buy it.

When it comes to meat labels, they are notoriously complicated to understand and often misleading. While some terms, like organic, have legitimate value, others are health-halo terms that are used by manufacturers to add perceived value to the chicken.

Though Renzo prefers dark over white meat, you won't see him stockpiling packages of chicken thighs at the grocery store. He prefers to buy a whole chicken and break it down himself. There are a lot of advantages to starting with a whole chicken for fried chicken; not only is it more cost-effective, but it allows you to select for a smaller chicken, which yields a higher bone-to-meat ratio. This can produce juicier fried chicken, which is one of the primary reasons many people prefer dark to light meat.

When processing a chicken, Renzo uses a fairly straightforward method to break it down. "I cut the backbone out, spatchcock it, and then literally you can see every piece. Just trim it as you want." He does caution that you should look out for bones in the breast meat, which can easily get lodged into it and leave you with an unpleasant surprise when you take a bite.

As far as any additional preparation of the meat, he doesn't get fancy with it. There is no need to pat it dry or air chill it before you marinate it. And, whatever you do, never wash chicken before frying it. This is a biohazard in the making.

Many chefs marinate or brine their chicken before breading and frying it. Renzo is no different, though his approach to building a better marinade is unique. While buttermilk is the gold-standard for a lot of folks, he is not as fond of it unless he plans to leave the chicken to marinate for an extended period of time. He notes that "buttermilk tends...to not get as crispy on the skin as like an egg wash and hot sauce would, but I know it does give it a little different flavor." That's right, his go-to marinade is typically a combination of an egg wash and hot sauce, often with the addition of a not-so-secret ingredient, pickle juice. This acid is integral in imparting flavor and helping to tenderize the chicken.

As far as his sweet spot for marinating chicken before frying it, Renzo maintains that 30 minutes is the bare minimum for the flavors to get in there and do their job. That said, anything more than 24 hours is likely to result in subpar fried chicken. While it is true that the acidic components of a marinade will encourage the protein strands in chicken to denature, if allowed to sit for too long, the meat will eventually become spongy and mushy, rather than juicy, yet firm. And, don't forget to place your marinating chicken in the refrigerator; it is never safe to leave it sitting on the countertop.

If you watch any of the viral videos of Renzo making his famous fried chicken, you'll notice one thing — he is not shy about seasoning his marinade and the flour he uses to bread his chicken. What's more, he has a tendency to put similar seasonings in both his marinade and flour, noting "I like the food to be able to be tasted in layers."

With the exception of salt, which can be overdone, Renzo believes you almost cannot go too far when it comes to adding seasonings to your fried chicken. He states that "you have to see the seasoning in your batter and your marinades to tell that it's in there." Common spices that make an appearance in his fried chicken recipes include black pepper, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and an ingredient that may not be on most people's radar — sazón.

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Though Renzo grew up in North Carolina, his father is of Puerto Rican heritage. One of the most popular spice blends in Puerto Rican cuisine is sazón. "Growing up it was always an ingredient we had on hand." The combination of annatto, cumin, coriander, garlic, oregano, and pepper was one of the ingredients his grandmother used to make her fried chicken, and the unique flavor left such an impression on him, that he continues to use it in his recipe to this day. Though you can make your own, there are many brands, like Goya, that are consistently-flavored and easy-to-use.

The process of creating the perfect, crispy crust on fried chicken is part science, part artistry. There are a number of different theories on how to bread chicken so that it remains juicy, the crust adheres, and it becomes crunchy when you fry it in oil. Renzo keeps things simple by only using all-purpose flour for this task, though he does note that he adds cornstarch when making chicken wings to help add extra crispiness, a trick that is essential for Korean fried chicken.

When asked about double dredging fried chicken, Renzo recommends against this process. While it does produce a thick layer of crust, it can result in the breading falling off. He sticks with one solid coating that is intentionally applied to cover every inch of the piece of chicken. Another key is to allow the breading to rest for about 60 seconds before adding the chicken to the fryer. This encourages it to stick, preventing it from dissolving into the hot oil.

He does mention that when making chicken tenders, which is one of his favorite foods, he always uses plain panko bread crumbs that he seasons himself to produce a nice crust. Panko are well known for creating a crisp crust without absorbing a lot of oil, something that is a must for perfectly fried chicken tenders.

When it comes to Renzo's sweet spot for frying chicken, he aims for a temperature of around 375 degrees F. This allows the heat to drop a bit when the chicken is added without getting too cold to crisp up the skin. He also advises that you wait a minute or two between batches to allow the temperature to heat back up again. Lastly, he recommends not overcrowding the pan with too many pieces at a time, which can make it a challenge for the oil to hold its temperature, yielding chicken that is soggy and undercooked.

When asked if he uses a thermometer to test the temperature, Renzo admits that he doesn't, but that's because he has a lot of experience and can tell by feel if the temperature is right. That said, for the majority of us, using a thermometer is always a good idea. He also notes that you can test the temperature of your oil by adding a bit of flour to the pan. If it burns, it's too hot. If it fails to sizzle, it's too cold.

As far as his favorite oil for frying chicken, peanut oil is king. Peanut oil has a high-smoke point and mellow flavor that doesn't notably alter the inherent taste of the fried chicken. If you are allergic, canola or vegetable oil are great alternatives. And, if you want a distinctive flavor, lard is a Southern gold standard.

When it comes to frying chicken, while all of us dream of having a commercial fryer in the house to make life easier, this isn't an option. And, though some swear by cast iron to do the job, Renzo isn't as fond of this cookware for frying chicken. He notes that there are a number of home fryers that do a decent job, but he has a soft spot for a more unusual cooking vessel when making his legendary fried chicken. "I love using woks to fry. I just love the wide design...It gives space for everything in the pan." He also has an aluminum pot that was passed down to him by his family, which is consistent and makes great fried chicken every time.

On the topic of kitchen gadgets and utensils that make frying chicken easier, Renzo has some thoughts. Tongs are notorious for tearing the chicken when you try to grasp it out of the fryer. He relies on his faithful spider strainer instead to retrieve chicken from the hot oil. The unique wide, curved design allows you to scoop out numerous pieces of chicken at the same time, while the long handle will protect your hands and arms from splattering grease.

Cooking fried chicken to perfection can take a little finesse. The best way to determine doneness is to use a thermometer. The safe minimum internal temperature for chicken is 165 degrees F. The problem is that different cuts of chicken cook at different speeds. Dark meat cooks faster than white meat, though it is also more forgiving. Its higher fat content makes it uniquely well suited to frying, allowing it to be cooked to higher temperatures without drying out. For this reason, Renzo recommends cooking these separately.

When it comes to any cues that indicate doneness, Renzo has a really unique methodology that I found fascinating. He uses his ears as his guide; this is a trick he learned from his grandmother.

"When the oil starts to get quiet, then your chicken is getting to be done." He notes that at this stage the chicken will float to the top of the pot and stop crackling. It's a great reminder that cooking is a multi-sensory process. Using your five senses is the key to mastery in the kitchen.

One of the most important, and arguably frustrating, aspects of making fried chicken is letting it drain well after removing it from the frying pan. Setting the chicken aside for a bit does two things. It allows the excess grease to drain away from the crust, crisping it up even more. It also gives the meat a chance to rest so the juices have time to redistribute, which produces a moister, more melt-in-your-mouth piece of fried chicken.

Though it may be tempting to just line a baking sheet with paper towels and call it a day, Renzo warns that this may not be the best idea. Paper towels are highly absorbent and as the chicken lays on top of them, the side in contact with them can get soggy, rather than crispy. He prefers using a wire rack to drain the chicken. This creates plenty of air flow around each piece, encouraging the crust to firm up. Another great method for draining freshly fried chicken is to place it on butcher paper, construction paper, or a deconstructed paper bag. These are all quite absorbent, helping to degrease the chicken and give it time to rest.

When asked if there were any other special tips or tricks he has for making fried chicken, Renzo mentioned the importance of garnishes. He occasionally adds some flaked sea salt to finish chicken, which gives it added crunch and a savory kick. But, his favorite garnish by far is a little bit of hot sauce and some honey. It is the perfect balance of sweet and spicy to elevate fried chicken. He states "it just takes it to a new level. If you've never tried it before, try it. You'll thank me later."

Sometimes he eyeballs it, drizzling the hot sauce on first, followed by the honey. Other times he creates a hot honey sauce, combining equal parts of each that you can dip your fried chicken or chicken tenders into. Surprisingly, Renzo notes that he's not a chilihead. He enjoys the layering of flavors, but isn't fond of the kind of spiciness that completely desensitizes your taste buds.

His go-to hot sauce for fried chicken — Texas Pete. This medium-spicy hot sauce is made from a unique blend of hand-selected peppers that are fermented for extra flavor, giving this sauce added nuance, which is exactly what makes it so appealing for a discerning palate.

Renzo had a sheepish grin spread across his face when asked about reheating fried chicken. While we agree that his chicken is too good to have any leftovers, he did state that his favorite method to reheat it was to do so in the air fryer. The air fryer allows the chicken to remain crisp without drying out, though you have to figure out what the perfect setting is. Each unit is different, and the temperature and time that might work on one is too long for another. That said, once you find the right setting, the even air circulation surrounding the chicken is sure to make your chicken taste almost as good as it did when you removed it from the fryer.

Alternatively, he suggests popping the chicken into the microwave for a spell before finishing it in a hot oven set at around 400 to 425 degrees F. This will help the chicken crisp up without dehydrating it. And, if all else fails, there's nothing wrong with eating cold fried chicken.

The one thing that comes across when speaking with Renzo is that he loves what he does. "You gotta have fun in the kitchen," he says, and you can tell that he does. If there's one secret ingredient to his fried chicken that cannot be bought, it is this passion. He learned early on that food is meant to be enjoyed with others.

Having fun doesn't mean shying away from putting in some effort. He states that "the hard work makes the food taste better at the end of the day." That said, he has mastered the art of simplifying seemingly challenging recipes. Taking something like fried chicken, which appears to require many steps to execute perfectly, and figuring out a way to show people how to break those steps down into manageable segments is a talent. His ability to make a dish seem doable and accessible is part of his appeal.