Ree Drummond's Simple Milk Trick Makes Fried Chicken Extra Satisfying

Fried chicken is pretty hard to say no to, especially when the coating is crispy, crunchy, and a beautiful golden brown. It's chicken perfection, to say the least. Ree Drummond has mastered a technique to make it extra satisfying and ensure maximum crunchiness. Her trick involves using milk, and probably not in the way you imagine.

Drummond is a celebrity chef known by the moniker "The Pioneer Woman." She takes inspiration from unlikely sources as well as her Texas cattle ranch lifestyle, translating her life experiences and impressive knowledge base into creative and delicious recipes. Her recipes and articles aren't just good, they are engaging, and she has a knack for providing great tips, including this fried chicken hack you can find on Food Network's YouTube channel.

In the video, Drummond mixes flour with seasonings such as salt, pepper, paprika, and a bit of cayenne pepper for a little kick. Next, and here is where things get interesting, she takes a mixture of milk and buttermilk and drizzles it into her flour mixture. She stirs things around with a fork to form clumps in the flour mix, which then cling to the chicken (which has also been marinated in buttermilk) as she dredges it. The result is a crispy coated chicken that has plenty of texture with clumps of flavored crunchiness in every bite. Served alongside an elevated coleslaw or a side of flavor-packed bacon mashed potatoes, this fried chicken is absolutely irresistible.

Milk and buttermilk play an important role when it comes to frying chicken. Milk contains lactic acid, which helps break down proteins in meat. It also contains fats and proteins that form a barrier against the chicken, keeping juices inside so the chicken doesn't dry out while it cooks. When you soak the chicken in milk before cooking it, as Drummond does for two hours, you wind up with juicy, succulent fried chicken that's tender and full of flavor.

Buttermilk (milk fermented in lactic acid bacteria to produce a thicker, tangier product) produces the same effect on chicken, but with a tangier flavor. The best way to utilize milk or buttermilk is to let your chicken soak in them before dredging and frying. Soak at least 30 minutes, but for ultimate results, let the chicken pieces sit for up to two hours, effectively creating a brine for the meat.

Some people can't tolerate dairy (or simply don't want to), so there are great milk alternatives that produce similar results. Almond milk, cashew milk, or soy milk can all be substituted for milk or buttermilk, but they each bring their own flavor nuances to the dish. You can experiment with different options to see which flavors work best for your palate. You can also experiment with adding in different acidic ingredients, such as lemon juice or vinegar, to give your milk alternatives the same tenderizing power of dairy milk and the tanginess of buttermilk.