The Step Bobby Flay Recommends For Fried Chicken That's 10x Crispier

There's no shortage of expert tips for making fried chicken, ranging from specialty blends of dry ingredients to countless internet arguments about the best oil. While Bobby Flay's tip of pre-baking chicken in buttermilk may sound a bit outlandish, it's actually extremely effective and lets you focus entirely on the breading (per YouTube).

Frying anything, but especially meat, is a careful balance of using enough heat to develop golden-brown breading, but not so much that you risk burning it to bring your protein to a food-safe temperature. By pre-baking, Flay takes the meat out of the equation, letting him use a slightly higher oil temperature to achieve a crisp exterior more quickly. This is particularly useful when working with large pieces, where you might need to use an oil temperature so low that you risk a soggy, rather than crunchy, end result.

Buttermilk is an essential ingredient in fried chicken because the slight acidity adds flavor and it's great at preserving moisture. Rather than baking the meat dry, dipping it in milk beforehand guarantees it won't dry out in the oven. The exact times and temperatures may vary depending on the size of your chicken, but a good rule of thumb is to cook the meat about 75% of the way through, around 125 degrees Fahrenheit internally. A layer of foil over the top helps keep the moisture in the pan and prevents the milk from curdling or the meat from browning.

With so much of the hassle out of the way, feel free to experiment with different ways to directly upgrade your breading. Since your meat will spend less time in the oil, this is a great opportunity to incorporate some more delicate ingredients. Plus, your coating should be insanely crispy, meaning you can make liberal use of glazes and sauces without risking its texture.

Using traditional methods, already fried or baked ingredients may burn in the oil if left for too long. Using Bobby Flay's method, however, is a great opportunity to incorporate them. French fried onions give fried chicken the ultimate crunch, and something as simple as Ritz crackers or even cornflakes can introduce a homey, baked flavor to your protein. Potato chips are always a solid bet, guaranteeing there will be plenty of salt for a heartier, more umami-rich meal.

Glazes are one of the best ways to level up your fried chicken, whether it's a simple reduced hot sauce or Flay's honey-horseradish concoction. The key is to ensure the liquid is quite thick as this concentrates its flavors and makes sure it won't oversaturate the breading or run off of it. You can even mix a bit into the buttermilk before you bake the chicken, infusing the meat itself with flavor. For either option, letting the mixture cool a bit can help it not curdle the milk and set up well enough that you can slather the coating as much as you want.