# How to use Baking Soda to make Fried Chicken crispier?



## surfol

Hello guys,

How do I use baking soda to make fried chicken crispier?

Do I just mix a certain amount with the frying flour ?

Or do I have to first 'activate' the baking soda?
I've heard that baking soda makes fried chicken crispier, but it has to be first mixed with water so it 'activates' otherwise the fried chicken won't be crispy. Is this correct?

I usually never use water/milk/egg to fry my chicken. I just use flour. Will adding baking soda to flour-only make fried chicken crispier?


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## kitchenelf

I've never used it so I really can't help.  I have used cornstarch in a batter before though.  I would say that it could be used for anything you are frying though.  I'm going to have to experiment now!!


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## sallynilly

I've heard and used baking soda in a liquid batter for fried chicken. But never added it to the dry ingredients. I soak my chicken peices in buttermilk overnight and roll in the dry ingredients. I press the mixture to the chicken before frying in hot crisco.


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## kitchenelf

sallynilly said:


> I've heard and used baking soda in a liquid batter for fried chicken. But never added it to the dry ingredients. I soak my chicken peices in buttermilk overnight and roll in the dry ingredients. I press the mixture to the chicken before frying in hot crisco.



Exactly how I do it!  Sometimes I do use a wet batter...in which case it is usually equal parts beer and flour.


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## Alix

You'll need to have a liquid to use baking soda. One with an acid. So if you are putting the baking soda in with your dry ingredients you need to use buttermilk, or sour cream or something to add to it to activate the b. soda.


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## texherp

I use baking _powder _in my fried okra.  It helps make the coating puff a little so they're rounder, like what you see in restaurants.   I mix it in with the flour which is the first layer, then do the egg and corn meal.  I guess the moisture from the okra and egg is enough to get it going.


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## Michael in FtW

You can use baking _soda_ only if you're making a batter that contains an acid like buttermilk, lemon juice, vinegar, etc. As has been noted - it needs an acid to activate it before it will do anything.

If you are going to be breading (dredge the chicken in flour, then in a milk and/or egg wash, then roll in flour again) you should use baking _powder _which contains baking soda and the acids needed to activate it. Use 1.5 teaspoons baking _powder_ per 1 cup of all purpose flour.


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## CookLikeJulia

Sounds very interesting. I have not heard of this method before. I will have to try it !


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## Selkie

I use *CLUB SODA* in my tempura batter to make it extra crunchy, but I've never tried using it in regular batter. It's something you might experiment with... adding it at the last moments just before battering the chicken, and not adding it as an extra ingredient, but in place of some of the other liquid, so the batter stays thick.


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## lindatooo

I use baking _powder_ in a recipe for coconut shrimp - it helps the rest of the coatings adhere and seems to make them crisper.


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## linicx

Baking Soda is a leavening agent. It makes  cake batter to rise. 
Crispy is the result of temperature and method. 

Most restaurants prepare chicken in a commerical Deep Fryer in which the chicken is submerged in and cooked for 20 minutes in several gallons of hot oil. The nearest a home cook can come to duplicating restaurant chicken is to fry chicken in 3" of HOT - not smoking - oil.  

I do not normally use this restaurant recipe at home as my kitchen is very small. You'll need two shallow pans and a skillet. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet. While it is heating prepare the chicien

Pan 1: Mix one egg with a quart of milk for egg wash. Mix well 
pan 2: Mix flour with salt and a little pepper. I use about 1 1/2 tsp salt to each 2 cups of flour. Mix well. 

Clean the chicken, rinse it well and pat dry. Prepare the legs and thighs first as they take longer to cook than breast and wings. Starting with the thighs dip each peice in the egg wash and flour and repeat one time. Do this to each piece of chicken. Drop each piece into the hot oil - leaving the wings to last. Cook it uncovered if you want crispy chicken. .

You will have 7-8 minutes after you put the last wing in the skiller to put the rest of your meal together and plate it before the chicken is ready to remove and drain on towels before you serve it.


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