Elevate Fried Chicken To Fine Dining Status With One Luxe Delicacy

Fried chicken, throughout much of recent history, has been considered more of a proletarian food than haute cuisine. However, that trend has started to shift, as chefs and gourmands have seen — and tasted — the potential to elevate fried chicken. But there's one ingredient you might not have thought to pair with the dish, one that will take it to levels of sophistication previously unknown: caviar.

"Fried chicken and caviar might seem worlds apart, but when you bring them together, magic happens," says Maricel Gentile, executive chef, owner of Maricel's Kitchen, and author of "Maricel's Simply Asian Cookbook." "You've got the hot, crunchy, juicy comfort of fried chicken meeting the cool, briny pop of caviar," she continues, making us desperate to try this untraditional pairing.

While it might seem like the two sodium-rich foods would combine to overpower each other, Gentile says the opposite is actually true. "The richness of the chicken fat gets cut beautifully by the salty brightness of the roe," she says. "The crispy skin provides a savory crunch that complements the delicate pearls of caviar, almost like the best potato chip and dip you've ever had, but elevated." Speaking of potato chips, this idea of eating caviar with a salty, crunchy snack isn't new: Potato chips also happen to be a perfect pairing for caviar, especially with a nice brut wine to sip on.

When it comes to this beautiful, unconventional surf-and-turf reimagining, there are certain styles of both caviar and chicken that are best suited to yield maximum flavor. "If you're doing this at home[,] start with Korean-style or Southern-style fried chicken," says Maricel Gentile. "Both have crisp, thin, shattering crusts that hold up to the moisture of the caviar."

When it comes to caviar, Gentile says a "good-quality paddlefish or Siberian sturgeon caviar strikes a nice balance. It's indulgent, but not overpowering or too precious for fried chicken." And good news: you don't have to travel the tundras of Novosibirsk (that's the capital city of Siberia) to stock up — you can buy osetra caviar from Costco, including Tsar Nicoulai Siberian sturgeon. "Look for small pearls with a clean, briny finish," Gentile advises.

Finally, there's the preparation of the caviar, and here too, Gentile has a recommendation. "Serve it cold, right on top of the hot chicken, or with a little crème fraîche or Kewpie mayo if you want extra creaminess." After all, caviar is now everywhere — even on conventional menus — so why not have it grace your dinner table as well? And if any of your dinner guests remain unconvinced upon serving, just remind them of Gentile's philosophy: "This pairing isn't just about taste, it's about joy and discovery."