Forget Flour — This Classic Boxed Mix Makes Fried Chicken Extra Crispy

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The savory, warm bite of a freshly fried piece of chicken definitely evokes a hospitable and cozy feeling. For the crispiest chicken, there are many methods — some of which we've outlined here — but a lot of it comes down to the breading. Thinking outside the box and using a boxed mix could be the right call. Consider trying Bisquick (yes, the pancake mix) when making your fried chicken.

Bisquick is a boxed mix commonly used to make biscuits, pancakes, or waffles, but the slightly sweet mix can be used in many more applications. Bisquick contains cornstarch, which makes the finished chicken extra crispy. It also has salt, a necessary ingredient when making fried chicken.

To use Bisquick, swap it for flour in your fried chicken recipe. Coat the chicken in egg wash or milk, then dredge it in the mixture, shaking off any extra coating before frying. The finished result will be a crispy, slightly sweet fried chicken that is sure to impress. 

Considering that practically everything needed to make great fried chicken is already in the boxed mix, all you need is a little extra seasoning, for flavor. Bisquick already has a semi-sweet flavor to it due to its sugar, so adding extra seasonings will offset the sweetness and make for a tasty batter. To pack your chicken with flavor, you can always add a seasoning packet as well. Other popular choices include paprika, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. Mix these into the Bisquick before breading, and be sure not to over-mix. This can make the mixture clumpy, making your great fried chicken not so great.

For homemade chicken and waffles, Bisquick is also the perfect pick — you only need one boxed mix for the chicken and the waffles. Efficiency in the kitchen is always a win. There are many simple additions to elevate fried chicken batter, but Bisquick is probably the easiest and most accessible. Retailing at Walmart for $4.62 a box, this inexpensive addition has many capabilities and could be the key to perfectly crispy fried chicken or chicken and waffles.