Is Water The Key To Better Fried Chicken?

Everyone has their own method for cooking fried chicken, whether it's a recipe handed down from generations before you or something you simply stumbled upon that worked so well it became your go-to (this Can't-F***-It-Up fried chicken is a worthy contender). But have you ever heard of using water in the process — steaming or even boiling the chicken before frying it? Could that make your fried chicken better by locking in moisture? Food Republic spoke with executive chef Clayton Allen, who told us, "[Pre-cooking] chicken by steaming or boiling before breading is certainly a technique that yields tender moist results, but I personally would not."

His reasoning for why he does not recommend using water at any point in the fried chicken-making process? "The extra equipment needed to steam, or the extra steps boiling and chilling takes" are not desirable, according to Allen, especially when another method yields similar results with much less effort. For delicious fried chicken, Allen recommends using a buttermilk brine, which can "achieve the same tender results with almost zero work."

Buttermilk makes for a particularly good brine ingredient, as it contains lactic acid, which breaks down the proteins in chicken, resulting in super tender meat. You can also mix seasonings into the brine to infuse your juicy fried chicken with flavor from the inside out. Garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper for subtle heat, paprika for smokiness — these all add depth to the meat.

Once everything is combined, "Cover the chicken with the brine, [and] put it in the refrigerator," said Clayton Allen. "Eight hours later[,] you're ready to bread and fry." Double dredging is best for crunchy fried chicken, and you should preferably fry your meat in vegetable oil. That's it. You only need one bowl or even a plastic zip-top bag to hold the chicken and brine (though you might want to double up the bags or place a plate or tray underneath, just in case it leaks).