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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
20 minutes
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Serves
3 to 4
Author Notes
The best part of this fried chicken? Has to be the crust. We’re using a clever mixture of flour, cornstarch, panko, and a couple rising agents, all of which will lead us to perfectly crispy chicken. If you don’t want to use chicken thighs, you can swap in horizontally halved chicken breasts; just adjust the cook time depending on their thickness. Lacquering the chicken with a sweet, spicy honey sriracha glaze takes everything to the next level.
You could serve this chicken alongside a giant salad. Or turn it into a sandwich with toasted buns, sriracha mayo, crunchy lettuce, and a few slices of mango. The slightly tart, sweet, and juicy mango really is the perfect accompaniment. —Carolina Gelen
Ingredients
- Fried chicken
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4
boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1 pound)
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Salt and pepper
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2 teaspoons
garlic powder
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1 teaspoon
cayenne, divided
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2/3 cup
plus 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
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1/2 cup
milk (any type works)
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2
large eggs
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2 teaspoons
white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
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1 cup
panko
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1/2 cup
cornstarch
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1 teaspoon
baking powder
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1/2 teaspoon
baking soda
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4 cups
neutral oil, such as sunflower seed or peanut
- Honey sriracha glaze
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1/4 cup
honey
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2 tablespoons
sriracha, plus more to taste
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1/4 teaspoon
cayenne, plus more to taste
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1 pinch
salt
Directions
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In a bowl, season the chicken thighs with a hefty pinch each of salt and, black pepper, plus the garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne.
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Add 2/3 cup of flour to a medium bowl or plate. Whisk the milk, eggs, vinegar, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne in a medium bowl. Stir the panko, cornstarch, 1/2 cup of flour, a pinch of salt, the baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
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Add 1/4 cup of the egg mixture to the panko mixture and roughly stir it in with a fork or your hands. You should end up with tiny clumps of dough that will get extra crispy when fried. If you find large clumps, simply break them apart.
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Working one at a time, dip a chicken thigh in the 2/3 cup of flour, making sure it’s evenly coated, then shake off the excess flour. Dip the chicken in the egg mixture, then dredge it in the panko mixture, pressing firmly to fully coat. Repeat with the remaining chicken thighs.
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Heat the oil in a deep pan over medium high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C), or until it sizzles once you drop in a tiny crumb of panko. Gently place 1 to 2 chicken thighs in the oil, depending on the size of your pan. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes, until golden brown all over. Reduce the heat to medium or medium low after frying the first batch. Place the fried chicken on a cooling rack. Repeat with the remaining thighs.
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Once all the chicken is fried, combine the honey, sriracha, cayenne, and a salt in a bowl. Taste and increase the sriracha and cayenne if needed. Lightly brush each piece of fried chicken with the honey glaze.
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Serve the fried chicken as is. Or, if you’d like, sandwich it between toasted buns with some sriracha mayo, lettuce, and sliced mango.
Carolina is a resident at Food52. She's also one of the hosts of Choose Your Own Recipe Adventure, our YouTube show where our Food52 readers pick the ingredients and techniques for a brand new recipe. Carolina recently immigrated to the U.S. from Transylvania, a place she spent most of her life. She continues to get inspired by the classic Romanian and Hungarian foods she was raised on, creating approachable, colorful, and fun recipes. For more cooking ideas and candid moments, check out her Instagram @carolinagelen.
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