The Super Crunchy Fried Chicken Secret You've Been Missing Out On

Most experienced home chefs have their own special method for making savory fried chicken. Regardless of your specific process, whether you're making an American recipe loaded with buttermilk, flour, and paprika or Korean fried chicken, the dish is known for its crunchy exterior. While you can always make extra crispy fried chicken at home with vodka, save your high-end spirits for your next round of martinis, and try using ramen noodles.

Instead of relying on flour, traditional seasoned bread crumbs, or panko bread crumbs as your go-to coating, crushed ramen noodles will make your next batch of fried chicken extra delicious. Since instant ramen noodles have been preliminarily steamed and fried to shorten their cooking time, they're already perfectly crunchy, making them an ideal ingredient for an unbelievably satisfying meal.

There are several methods for using instant ramen to make a fantastic batch of fried chicken, but the simplest way is to first remove and crush the dried noodle bricks from your chosen ramen packets in a resealable plastic bag. Alternatively, you can use a food processor for a finer coating. Then, all you have to do is dunk your chicken portions in seasoned buttermilk and crushed ramen noodles before frying.

Ramen noodles are precooked and include savory seasoning packets, and you have more than one way to add those included spices. For starters, if you're using two pounds of chicken, add one seasoning packet and a few splashes of soy sauce to your buttermilk mixture. Alternatively, you can set up flour, egg, and ramen dipping stations and add the savory spices to the flour portion. You can also mix a seasoning packet into the crushed ramen noodles for a flavor-loaded coating.

Once your chicken is seasoned, coated, and ready to fry, keep a watchful eye on it throughout the cooking process to prevent your ramen crumbs from burning. Though you can certainly fry this specialized chicken from start to finish, you can also use your oven for extra precision. Fry each piece of chicken until golden brown, then allow your perfectly crispy pieces to finish cooking on a rack-lined baking sheet at 300 degrees Fahrenheit. When it's time to serve, pair the chicken with a traditional side like your favorite type of potato salad, or create a more Japanese-inspired meal with rice, shredded cabbage, Sriracha, and sweet chili dipping sauce.