Experts Share Common Fried Chicken Mistakes

Fried chicken is beloved around the world, from Guatemala to Korea, and is regularly listed among the top five most popular foods in the United States. Although relatively simple in its construction — chicken meat is dipped in seasoned flour and fried — there are many cultural and social layers to its story.

The first written recipe was published in 1747, in Hannah Glasse's, "The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy." Some people say Scottish migrants, who preferred their chicken fried, brought the recipe to the U.S., where it was embraced by West Africans who were enslaved in the South. Today, southern fried chicken has been joined by a wealth of flavors and varieties, from Buffalo wings to Taiwanese popcorn chicken.

Many home cooks have also tried their hand at this iconic dish. While some have turned out platefuls of crispy, juicy chicken, others have run into problems, from bland coatings to undercooked meat. We asked Mendocino Food Consulting's Bryan Quoc Le, Dennis Littley of Ask Chef Dennis, and Josh Evans, vp and corporate executive chef for Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen for help in avoiding common mistakes when making fried chicken.

All three experts agreed that, if you want juicy, tender meat beneath that crispy crust, then marinating was the way to go. Both Bryan Quoc Le and Dennis Littley said soaking the chicken before frying would help loosen up the meat. "A good marinade whether it's buttermilk, yogurt, or a salt-based brine helps break down the muscle fibers, resulting in juicier, more flavorful chicken," said chef Littley.

"Marinating meat is important because marinades are salty, and often also acidic," said Quoc Le of Mendocino Food Consulting, adding: "Both of these components dissolve some of the proteins in the meat, which 'loosens up' the protein matrix, and prevents it from tightening as much while cooking, which expels water. The result is a moister, more tender meat." It's advised home cooks who prefer leaner, white meat do not skip the marinating process, otherwise they risked their chicken being dry and flavorless.

Given the importance attached to the marinating stage, it's understandable that many home cooks don't bother patting their meat dry before coating it — why remove any of that liquid if it's so crucial to the final result? For Josh Evans, vp and corporate executive chef for Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, it's a mistake to skip this step. "Drying is important to get a crispy breading that adheres to the chicken and doesn't fall off on the first bite," said Evans. 

Having too much marinade left on the chicken can make the flour coating uneven and become gummy, preventing that all-important crispy crust from forming. "Patting the chicken dry with a paper towel before dredging ensures the breading sticks properly and crisps up during frying," said Dennis Littley of Ask Chef Dennis.

We all know the importance of seasoning and tasting at every stage of a recipe, but that's no easy feat when making fried chicken. So it's no surprise that under-seasoning was highlighted as a common mistake by our experts. "Some people under-season the chicken itself, relying only on the flour for flavor," said chef Dennis Littley.

For both him and Josh Evans, the key is to season every layer: The marinade, the flour dredge, and even the chicken itself. "Skipping salt in the flour mixture is a huge mistake, as it ensures every bite is well-seasoned, not just the outer crust," explained Littley, while Evans of Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen also reminded home cooks to add a shake of salt and pepper to the finished fried chicken when it comes out.

But why does fried chicken need much more seasoning than home cooks might think? Bryan Quoc Le, food science consultant, explained: "It gets diluted in the marinade and dredge, and so only a little of each actually sticks to the chicken." As far as he's concerned, seasoning each component of fried chicken may help contribute to the overall final flavor.

Everything from all-purpose flour and breadcrumbs to crushed cornflakes makes a great coating for most types of fried chicken, but particularly southern style. For all three of our exports, a combination of flour and storecupboard superstar cornstarch (a magical ingredient), would result in the crispiest coating.

Josh Evans, vp and corporate executive chef for Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, suggested adding corn meal instead of starch, while chef Dennis Littley also proposed potato starch, or even rice flour, to ensure a lighter, crispier texture. "Too much flour without the right balance can lead to a thicker, heavier crust that absorbs more oil," the chef warned.

For Bryan Quoc Le, food science consultant at Mendocino Food Consulting, finding the best coating depended on the style of fried chicken. For example, Southern and some Korean recipes both used a mixture of flour and a starch — usually cornstarch for convenience. He said: "This blend prevents excessive gluten development, which can result in a chewy coating, and creates a crispier outside from the pure starch content."

How people get the coating on their chicken has been the subject of a debate that has raged for years. Some throw all their coating ingredients in a bag — eggs and all — and shake it. Others prefer to do it all by hand, and two of our experts stood by the '"wet hand, dry hand" technique to minimize mess.

"Dredging by hand is the preferred method, since it gives you greater control over the process, and avoids large clumps from sticking to utensils," said food science consultant Bryan Quoc Le — he also advised home cooks to allow the marinade run off before dredging, but just until it starts to drip.

For chef Josh Evans, hand dredging was fine, but added: "It is important to wash your hands after so that you don't cross-contaminate finished fried chicken with raw chicken." As for double dredging, it's all about personal preference. "Double dredging creates a much thicker breading and covers more nooks and crannies for extra crunch," Evans explained.

Many recipes evolve over time, and fried chicken is no different. From the spices and herbs used in the crust to how it's coated: Each person who makes it brings their own touch to the recipe. Cooking it, however, appears to fall into two distinct camps — those who deep fry and those who shallow fry. Chef Dennis Littley explained the method home cooks use is entirely down to personal preference.

"Deep frying allows for even cooking and full submersion, which helps create a uniform, golden crust," he said. "Shallow frying can work, but it requires more flipping and careful monitoring to avoid uneven cooking." Josh Evans, vp and corporate executive chef for Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen, is 100% team deep fry, and said it was: "Easier for more consistent cooking and faster cook times so the chicken doesn't dry out."

For Bryan Quoc Le, Mendocino Food Consulting, deep frying was better than shallow frying as "more oil means more heat and submersion, which will cook the meat more quickly and evenly." He added that, unlike shallow frying, which was a slower process, not as much oil was absorbed, so the finished chicken would be less greasy.

Air fryers are relatively new kids on the kitchen equipment block, and for some home cooks they've been a revelation. From baking garlic bread and cakes to making oatmeal, these devices have become fixtures in kitchens across the world. But when it comes to cooking fried chicken, our experts are not convinced they will do a good job.

"An air fryer can make decent crispy chicken, but it won't replicate the rich, crunchy crust you get from traditional frying, as it relies on hot air rather than full oil immersion," according to chef Dennis Littley.

Bryan Quoc Le, food science consultant, agreed that air fryers were not as good at cooking fried chicken because they "... lack the oil needed to create the crispy, oily fried coating ... because hot oil holds more heat than air, they also take much longer to thoroughly cook the meat." If you own an air fryer and you do want to use it for fried chicken, chef Josh Evans did have some advice: "Air fryers are better for reheating fried chicken versus cooking initially."

There's a wide range of oils and fats available for frying. From beef tallow to a dizzying variety of bottled oils, it can be tricky to know which product gives the best results.

Using the right one is important for excellent fried chicken, according to chef Dennis Littley. "The best oils for frying are neutral, high-smoke-point oils like peanut, canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil," he said. "Avoid oils with low smoke points like olive oil or butter, as they burn too quickly and leave an off taste.”

Food science consultant Bryan Quoc Le offered corn oil as a low-cost but acceptable alternative. He also warned that, while vegetable and canola oils are cheap and work well, they can also produce very strong odors, particularly the latter. For home cooks that had more flexibility in their budget, you might consider more expensive types, such as avocado or sunflower oil.

If choosing the right oil is half the battle in ensuring you serve up a plate of delicious, crispy chicken, then getting it to the correct temperature is the other. It's recommended to fry at a temperature of between 325 and 350 degrees F because the meat will cook perfectly but the outside won't be burned. 

"Temperature control is key," said chef Dennis Littley, who suggested a slightly higher frying temperature of 350-375 degrees F. Choosing to drop the breaded chicken into the oil before it has reached that figure — to avoid splashing or overcooking — is a mistake. "If the oil is too cool, the chicken absorbs too much oil and turns greasy," he said. "If it's too hot, the outside burns before the inside is fully cooked.”

It's always a good idea to invest in a good thermometer — so you can confirm the right temperature before frying.

There are a few ways to monitor the temperature of your frying oil to make sure it stays hot enough without things becoming dangerous. Mendocino Food Consulting's Bryan Quoc Le quipped: "Managing a large pan of hot oil is like a cruise ship — you can't expect it to turn on a dime."

He recommended using a candy or oil thermometer for anyone using a fryer to cook their chicken, but admitted home cooks frying on the stovetop face a bigger challenge. "Trial and error is the best learning device in finding which heat setting works best with your set up," he said. "If you do need to adjust the temperature, then only make small changes and wait a minute or two to see how much it changes."

For chef Josh Evans, cooking a few pieces at a time is the key to successful fried chicken. "Between batches, allow the oil to come back up to temperature before starting your next batch," he suggested.

There are some foods that are so hands off, they need little or no attention and can still be delicious — think microwaved meals, colorful plates of salad or even sandwiches. The same cannot be said for fried chicken. After getting the oil or fat to the right temperature, you have to keep it there and be patient, according to Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen's Josh Evans.

"It's important to maintain the temperature throughout frying and allow the temperature to recover before cooking additional batches," Evans said. He advised home cooks not to put too many pieces of chicken in at a time, as it would cause the oil temperature to fall, potentially leading to a greasy end result.

Don't be tempted to pop a few pieces of chicken into the oil before it's at the right temperature, warned food science consultant Bryan Quoc Le. "More oil is absorbed into the food because instead of the food getting instantly cooked, which creates a seal against the oil, it absorbs deeper into the breading before that seal is formed." It's also advised not to top up the oil when cooking the chicken, because doing so can cause fluctuation in temperature — which can result in soggy breading.

If burned skin and dry meat are the easy-to-spot signs of overcooked chicken, then knowing whether your fried goodies are properly cooked through can be a bit more tricky. For chefs Josh Evans and Dennis Littley, a thermometer is a big help. Littley said they can verify that the internal temperature has reached the optimum 165 degrees F.

"If you don't have one, a good sign is when the juices run clear and the crust is deep golden brown. Overcooked chicken will be dry and tough, while undercooked chicken will have a pink, rubbery texture near the bone.” Bryan Quoc Le of Mendocino Food Consulting agreed that a thermometer was the best way to confirm if the chicken was cooked after taking it out of the fryer. He admitted that some people gauged doneness by the color of the coating, it wasn't always a reliable method.

Quoc Le recommended double frying to be sure. "If the meat is cooked before the outside is sufficiently browned, then you can let the chicken pieces rest for 20 to 30 minutes and then fry them again for a few minutes until the outside is crispier and browned more," he said. "This double frying method is highly favored in restaurants for its superior results."

Much of what makes fried chicken so special comes down to personal preference, from herbs and spices in the coating and the oil they're fried in, to the cuts of chicken on the plate. Chef Dennis Littley said: "Thighs and drumsticks are both excellent, but thighs are often more forgiving and juicier because of their higher fat content." He also pointed out that thighs cook more evenly than drumsticks, whose thicker end takes a little longer.

"The drumstick and the thigh are both dark meat, but the differences are that the thigh is thicker, and so retains more moisture," said Bryan Quoc Le, food science consultant. He agreed it was a matter of preference, as the drumstick has a higher breading-to-meat ratio and is easier to eat.

Quoc Le reminded home cooks that, thanks to the differences in size and shape, thigh cuts should be cooked for longer at around 350 degrees F. For chef Josh Evans, while dark meat cuts such as drumsticks and thighs are more juicy and fried faster, white breast meat is just as popular. "If white meat is your favorite, it's even more important to marinate," he said.

The best fried chicken is crispy on the outside with juicy, tender meat inside. All three experts agreed resting the chicken after cooking would help achieve that result — as well as prevent you from burning your mouth with that first bite. "Resting for 5-10 minutes allows the muscle fibers to relax after having contracted so much during cooking, which allows the moisture to stay inside the meat and stick to some of the proteins instead of being squeezed out," said Bryan Quoc Le of Mendocino Food Consulting.

For Dennis Littley, Ask Chef Dennis, it is an essential stage both before and after the cooking process. He suggested letting the chicken rest after dredging for about 10 to 15 minutes to ensure the breading didn't fall off in the oil. "Letting it sit for five to 10 minutes on a wire rack (not paper towels, which can trap steam) allows the juices to redistribute, keeping the meat juicy, while also preventing the crust from becoming soggy," he added.

Resting the chicken is also important for Josh Evans, vp and corporate executive chef for Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen. As well as allowing any excess oil to drain away so the skin is more crispy, he said: "Just like a perfectly cooked steak, it allows the juices you took all that time adding to the chicken to marinate and settle throughout the meat."