Using 2 Thermometers Is The Secret To The Best Fried Chicken Possible

Perfectly cooked fried chicken has a phenomenal crunch that's bursting with flavor from countless seasonings, followed by the juiciest, tenderest meat underneath. Getting your fried chicken there can be surprisingly difficult, though, including having to maintain your oil temperature and to reach, but not exceed, your chicken's safe internal temperature. Thankfully, you can use two thermometers to make both those tasks a breeze.

Your first thermometer should be a deep fry thermometer, also called a candy thermometer. Stick this in your deep fryer to track the rise and fall of your oil temperature, adjusting your heat settings to maintain about 375 F. With a consistent temperature, it becomes much easier to estimate how much cooking time each piece of chicken is going to need. Or, instead of guesswork, you can use a second, instant read thermometer to ensure your chicken is perfectly cooked to 165 F. If you find the breading is under- or over-cooking by the time a proper internal temperature is reached, simply adjust your oil temperature.

Using two thermometers isn't the only easy upgrade you can make to your fried chicken. One oft-skipped step, dry brining with salt, has multiple beneficial effects. Namely that the salt dries out the exterior, leading to a crunchier crust, and it tenderizes the chicken. It also doesn't hurt that the salt seasons the chicken deep inside for better flavor in every bite.

You should also consider shaking up your recipe by using a cornstarch-and-flour mix instead of pure flour since cornstarch makes your final product extra-crunchy. Or go cornstarch-only like they do in some Asian countries. In conjunction with cornstarch, you can also use only egg whites for dredging instead of whole eggs. Removing the yolk takes out excess fat, which leads to a crisper crust. Finally, mix in a little vodka with your batter. The alcohol does several things, including drying out the batter and increasing surface area while it cooks, that all result in a better crunch.

A minor step you should also take with your fried chicken is to place your just-cooked pieces on a paper towel-lined wire rack to drain and cool. Putting them directly on paper towels means they can sit in enough liquid to make parts of the breading less crunchy.

With your chicken fried to delicious perfection, it's time to dig in. Usually, fried chicken is the centerpiece of the meal, but you can also use it as a key ingredient in many other dishes. One common method is to make a fried chicken sandwich out of it, especially if your breading is spicy like Nashville hot chicken. In a similar vein, you can chop up leftover fried chicken and make tacos out of it. If you go that route, try pairing it with potato salad for a picnic-like treat.

Chopped up fried chicken is also an easy way to upgrade your next chicken salad, or you can use it on Caesar salad to add some protein. Salad Isn't all you can sprinkle it on, with many pizza and pasta recipes being prime places to enjoy some golden-fried crunch. Lastly, but most certainly not least, some honey-drizzled fried chicken on a waffle is your ticket to breakfast heaven.