I love all the different kinds of fried chicken: fingers, nuggets, Milanese, schnitzel, and Southern fried, to name a few. Many also embrace it when coated in breadcrumbs, crushed pretzels, cereal, Parmesan, or polenta-crusted form. Even drier white meat is succulent when breaded and fried in hot oil. Whether you use the traditional three-step breading method or just coat the chicken in seasoned flour, it doesn’t matter how hard you work if it ends up soggy.
Since the breading is the best part, it makes sense that home cooks would want to add as much coating as possible. But too much of a good thing may be the issue if your breaded chicken ends up soggy and one simple mistake may be whats preventing those drumsticks from golden brown crispiness: double dipping.
Whether the dredged chicken is going directly into the frying pan or first making a stop in an egg wash and breadcrumb coating, the chicken only needs a thin layer of flour. A thick flour coating will absorb too much oil and prevent the coating from crisping. To eliminate the issue, dredge raw chicken parts (boneless, skinless, or bone-in) in a bag with seasoned flour and shake until the pieces are coated. Remove excess flour before cooking. This layer will fry up crispy or, if youre using breadcrumbs, will prevent them from falling off.
Chicken cutlets can be a delicious and easy dinner option. But a problem that a lot of home cooks have is chicken cutlets that get soggy, either right after breading or after being stored in the fridge or freezer. No one wants a chicken cutlet that is soggy and mushy. Luckily, there are easy tricks and ways to prepare chicken cutlets that will keep them crispy and tasty.
Use the Right Breading
The breading you coat your chicken cutlets in plays a big role in how crispy they turn out. Some breading options just don’t seem to hold up well and result in soggy cutlets. After plenty of trial and error here are the best breading options
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Panko bread crumbs – Japanese-style panko crumbs are light, flaky, and extra crispy. Use panko alone or in combination with flour and egg.
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Crackers like Ritz or saltines – Crushed buttery crackers make a deliciously crispy coating. Use crackers alone or with flour and egg.
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Corn flakes or corn flake crumbs – Surprisingly, corn flakes make a crispy breading. Use them alone or with flour and egg.
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Breadcrumbs you make yourself: Use day-old bread to make your own fresh breadcrumbs. They will be crisper than store bought.
Avoid using regular dry breadcrumbs, which often result in a gummy coating. Also avoid over-mixing your breading, which can develop gluten and get gummy.
Double Bread For Extra Crispiness
If you bread your chicken cutlets twice instead of once, the second time will help make the coating extra crispy and crunchy, and it will last longer. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes after dipping it in flour, egg, and the first layer of bread crumbs. Then dip in egg and breading again. The two layers help keep the moisture in and keep the breading from getting soggy.
Use Instant Binders in Your Breading
Adding a little instant mashed potato flakes, instant stuffing mix, or corn starch to your breading helps it cling better and stay ultra crispy. About 1-2 tablespoons per cup of breadcrumbs does the trick. The instant potato flakes or cornstarch turns extra crispy when fried.
Chill Before Frying
Letting your breaded chicken cutlets rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before frying helps the breading firm up, which leads to a crisper crust. Chilling gives the coating time to adhere. If you bread and fry chicken right away, the coating can slide off or get soggy.
Fry at the Right Temperature
This is a big part of getting chicken that is crispy and not soggy. A deep fry thermometer should read 350 to 375°F for the oil. If the oil is too cool, the chicken will soak it up and become greasy. The outside can burn before the inside is cooked if it’s too hot. When you fry the cutlets at 350 to 375°F, they get brown and crispy without cooking them too much.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan
It can be tempting to fry a lot of cutlets at once, but overcrowding leads to soggy results. Fry chicken in batches without overfilling the pan. Chicken should have room to float while frying without touching. Overcrowding lowers the oil temp and produces greasy chicken.
Drain Properly on a Wire Rack
Draining fried chicken on paper towels seems like a good idea, but it can make the crust soggy. Instead, set a wire rack over a baking sheet. After frying, transfer chicken to the rack to allow air circulation and drain oil from all sides. The crispy crust will stay intact.
Eat Right Away for Maximum Crispness
Fried chicken is crispiest immediately after frying. The longer it sits after frying, the more soggy it gets. For the crispiest texture, eat your chicken cutlets right after draining and seasoning. If you must hold them before serving, keep them on a wire rack in a warm oven.
Store Cutlets Properly
If you prepared extra chicken cutlets that were not eaten right away, proper storage is key for maintaining crispness. Here are some storage tips:
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Let cutlets cool completely before storing. Storing warm cutlets leads to sogginess.
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Place cooked cutlets in a single layer on a sheet pan or plate, uncovered. Do not stack them or they will steam.
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For short term storage, refrigerate for 3-4 days maximum. Make sure air can circulate around each cutlet.
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For longer term storage, freeze cooked cutlets in a single layer on a sheet pan until hard. Then transfer to a freezer bag. Reheat directly from frozen in a 400°F oven.
Re-Crisp Leftovers
If you have leftover breaded chicken cutlets that lost their crispness, you can revive them. Place on a baking sheet and crisp them back up in a 400°F oven for about 5-10 minutes per side. You can also re-fry them for a few minutes in hot oil. This crisps up the coating once again. Just watch closely to avoid over-browning.
With these handy tips and tricks, you’ll be able to enjoy perfectly crispy chicken cutlets every time. Say goodbye to soggy chicken and embrace the crunch! Crispy, golden chicken cutlets are easy to achieve with the right preparation methods and cooking techniques.
Tips for cooking crispy breaded chicken
Once the chicken is coated, a few additional factors can influence whether your fried chicken will be crispy and juicy: the moisture level and temperature. Moisture is the enemy of anything that you want to brown. So, its essential to dry raw chicken before dredging it in flour. If the surface is too wet, the breading wont stick and will burn in the frying pan. Leaving it uncovered in the refrigerator will help dry out the surface. Just store the chicken on the bottom shelf and avoid placing it next to raw vegetables to prevent cross-contamination.
The temperature of the oil and raw chicken is also critical. Youll want to use a neutral-tasting oil like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil with a high smoke point. Monitor the temperature with a thermometer, adjusting the heat as necessary. If the oil isnt kept at around 350 degrees Fahrenheit, the breading will absorb excess oil and become soggy.
Placing cold chicken in hot oil will lower the cooking temperature as well, so allow the chicken to sit for roughly 30 minutes at room temperature before dredging and frying so it doesnt lower the cooking temperature too drastically. You can also control it by not overcrowding the pan. Trying to cook too much at one time will make the oil cool. Its better to fry the chicken in batches, keeping the cooked chicken warm until you are ready to eat.
How to Make Perfect Crispy Chicken Cutlets | From the Test Kitchen | Bon Appetit
FAQ
How to store chicken cutlets so they don’t get soggy?
Once the chicken has cooled down, transfer it to a container with the lid. You can store the chicken. in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To reheat the chicken, place it on a foil line sheet pan.
Why did my chicken cutlets come out soggy?
If the meat isn’t fried at an adequate temperature or for a long enough period, this undercooked gluten creates a sogginess that can ruin even the …Jan 6, 2024.
Can chicken cutlets be prepared ahead of time?
Dredging and frying on a weeknight? Not happening. Instead, make a lot of these easy chicken cutlets ahead of time and freeze them. When you need them, just bake them.
How to bake breaded chicken without it getting soggy?
Bake the chicken on a wire rack. Place the chicken on a wire rack inside a baking sheet and raise it up to allow air to flow around it and cook it faster.