Andrew Zimmern's Fried Chicken Is Extra Crispy Thanks To One Genius Ingredient

Regardless of your seasonings or stance on the dredging vs. breading debate, fried chicken should always be crispy. When Andrew Zimmern wants to make something with sublime texture, he turns to potato starch — the key to the crispiest fried chicken ever. While most chefs still let flour form the bulk of their frying batter, starch plays an important role in the crisping process of Zimmern's world's best chicken sandwich recipe. 

Starch reduces the amount of gluten in the batter, which tends to form a stronger, and more complex matrix when exposed to heat. However, potato starch is especially well-suited for frying because its granules are so large – meaning they allow water from your batter's liquid to evaporate quickly, creating a far crispier crust. When you used in fried food, it allows water to evaporate from the meat and escape the crust to create a shattering shell of deliciousness.

Potato starch has been a staple of international fried chicken styles for quite some time but it has gained popularity amongst American and European chefs as a change of pace from the usual cornstarch. While potato starch is a great first step, there are tons of other ways to increase your fried chicken's crispiness. Staying up-to-date on new techniques and ingredients is key to wowing your dinner guests and satisfying your own cravings.

Fried chicken is an old-school classic that's spread across the world, giving just about every chef the opportunity to experiment with it. While it may be difficult to innovate with new techniques, this does give you some great opportunities to learn the do's and don'ts of making the crispiest fried chicken you've ever tasted. For example, wet batters often make for crispier fried chicken thanks to their high moisture content. This may sound backwards since extra moisture usually makes foods soft rather than crispy, but there's a real science behind it. 

When you mix all the ingredients of a wet batter together and drop them in a fryer, the moisture evaporates immediately, causing the solids to contract and stick to the meat. Not only does this produce a crispier coating, but it also creates one that's less likely to fall off. You'll also need to guarantee that your chicken drains properly once its cooked. If you just stack your meat on a paper towel while you continue cooking, any side in contact with the towel, plate, or other pieces of chicken won't get the chance to drip off oil or evaporate excess moisture. 

With this in mind, be sure to set up a wire rack so the fried chicken is at least a couple inches off the counter, and to leave plenty of room between your individual pieces, so that they get enough air circulation to dry off. This will ensure a proper finish on its extra crispy, potato starch coating.