Brine for flavour
Kenji soaks chicken thighs in pickle brine for 1–12 hours.
From: Five-Ingredient Fried ChickenWeissman and Kenji also use buttermilk; Dan Hong marinates in rice wine, sesame oil, salt and sugar.
From: Wendy’s Spicy Chicken But Better, Fried Chicken and Cole Slaw, Korean Fried Chicken Burger
Make the coating craggy
Rub a little liquid into the flour before dredging. Kenji uses buttermilk; Dan Souza uses three tablespoons of water. The shaggy bits fry into extra crunch.
From: Five-Ingredient Fried Chicken, Crispy Fried ChickenPress the chicken firmly into the coating so it sticks (Kenji, Souza).
From: Fried Chicken and Cole Slaw, Crispy Fried ChickenFor a thin, glassy Korean-style crust, Dan Hong uses potato starch.
From: Korean Fried Chicken Burger
Thigh or breast
Kenji, Weissman and Dan Hong all use thighs. Souza uses breast, pounded to an even ½ inch so it cooks through before the crust burns.
From: Five-Ingredient Fried Chicken, Wendy’s Spicy Chicken But Better, Korean Fried Chicken Burger, Crispy Fried Chicken
Watch the oil
Most of these recipes fry at about 325–350°F (160–175°C). Kenji and Souza heat the oil hotter first because it drops when the cold chicken goes in.
From: Five-Ingredient Fried Chicken, Crispy Fried Chicken, Fried Chicken and Cole Slaw, Korean Fried Chicken Burger
Every tip above is taken from the recipe it links to. Where the experts disagree, we say so rather than picking one.