Padma Lakshmi's Secret For The Crunchiest Fried Chicken Possible

There is no one right way to make fried chicken — as long as you like the outcome, the sky's the limit. Making it doesn't have to be complicated either. Southern fried chicken need only be flavorful, crunchy, and delicious. Enter Padma Lakshmi and her secret ingredient that gives this comfort food the crispy texture your mouth anticipates. The creator of "Taste the Nation" revealed in her cookbook, "Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet: A World of Recipes for Every Day" that she uses crushed saltines, coupled with crushed Rice Krispie cereal, to create a coating that checks all the boxes for a perfect fried chicken. 

The celebrity chef starts with a buttermilk brine to help penetrate the bird's skin and impart a lovely taste. This serves as the base layer of flavor for her fried chicken. Then she dredges the chicken pieces in flour and egg before rolling them around in the Saltine/Rice Krispies mixture. Saltines are crunchy and salty by design while the snap, crackle, pop cereal has a very subtle rice taste that is borderline neutral. Together they create a beautiful fried crust that turns golden when fried.

But transforming this unconventional combo into a crispy, crunchy exterior is only half the equation. To really make the flavor pop, Padma Lakshmi adds a couple of seasonings to the crushed saltines and cereal — mango powder and cayenne. Mango powder has an intense sour taste with hints of citrus, while cayenne pepper will counter that tartness with its heat. Saltines are pretty salty on their own, so there is no need for any extra. When covering your chicken with this seasoned saltine mixture, make certain to put a nice thick coat on each piece. 

If you like Padma Lakshmi's use of saltines for fried chicken, you may want to try another favored snacking cracker. Ritz crackers and their buttery taste, once compressed into nothing but crumbs, are perfect for your breading, as are yummy, kid-favorite Goldfish crackers. They're salty and cheesy and make for some tasty fried chicken fingers. They also come in a variety of flavors including spicy dill pickle. And don't forget Wheat Thins. These crackers will give your fried chicken a crunchy bite that is hearty, nutty, and salty. Or stick to Lakshmi's tried and true combo and enjoy fried chicken like the stars.