Add More Flavor And Texture To Fried Chicken With This Pantry Staple

A shatteringly crisp exterior is crucial to delectable fried chicken. For fried chicken that is sure to wow every time, dried onion flakes are an unexpected crust addition that adds both flavor and body to the equation. While onion powder is a common go-to for tossing into fried chicken coating, this pantry staple is an unexpected fried chicken heavy hitter. The larger pieces of onion not only bring savory depth of flavor to the party, they also serve a secondary purpose of making the chicken exterior more toothsome.

You can toss in a handful of standard dried onion flakes for bits of texture, or you can go whole hog and sub in the fried onion pieces that feature around Thanksgiving as an addictive green bean casserole topper. Either take the flavor and texture upgrade to new heights. Adding dried onion flakes to your fried chicken dredge is one of many ways to upgrade your fried chicken game. Others include adding hot sauce to your buttermilk marinade or frying in a less common oil, such as coconut or peanut.

If you're going to indulge in fried chicken, make every bite worth it. Nobody wants a tired-looking or soggy piece of fried chicken, so putting some planning into a crispy crust combo is essential to avoiding this sad fate. The good news is that there are other incredibly easy ways to make your dredge drool-worthy. For example, rice flour absorbs less oil than regular flour, making it a no-brainer upgrade for a light and tempting crust.

How you incorporate ingredients into your dredge matters too. One tactic is to follow celebrity chef Ree Drummond's fried chicken lead and drizzle a mixture of milk and buttermilk into your coating. This hack forms little pockets in the flour that adhere to the surface of the chicken and create extra texture. Just don't forget the dried onion flakes to pack a flavor bomb into each bite. They're certain to make all other fried chicken crusts seem boring and one-note in comparison.