The Best Gluten Free Fried Chicken Recipe Ever! | Fearless Dining (2024)

FAQs

What is the best gluten free flour for breading and frying? ›

To make your own gluten-free flour blend for fried chicken, simply combine: 1/2 cup white rice flour, 1/2 cup millet flour, and 1/4 cup arrowroot or tapioca starch.

This is done by first poaching the chicken in water with spices (e.g. star anise, cinnamon, nutmeg, Sichuan pepper, ginger, fennel, and scallions), drying it, coating with a syrup of vinegar and sugar, letting it dry thoroughly (which helps make the skin crispy) and deep-frying.

One of the most common reasons why fried chicken doesn't turn out crispy is because the chicken isn't dry enough before it's fried. If the chicken is too wet, the moisture can create steam, which can prevent the skin from crisping up.

The wheat flour facilitates browning, while the potato starch provides structure, cohesion, and that all important crunch factor. What comes out of the fryer is super crispy fried chicken that's easier to make than your go-to dry-dredge method, but with a similarly substantial crust.

In contrast to tapioca flour, which is made from a starchy liquid extracted from the cassava root, cassava flour is made by grating and drying the whole root. This flour is gluten-, grain- and nut-free. It's most similar to white flour and can easily be used in recipes calling for all-purpose flour.

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Fry it twice.

Try Fontana's method for “blanching” fried chicken: Heat oil to 250 degrees and cook chicken breasts for about five minutes, or bone-in chicken for about 12 minutes. Let them rest for 15 to 20 minutes, then fry again, two to three minutes for breasts or five minutes for bone-in.

KFC deep fries its chicken for 15 minutes and then drains the oil off for another five minutes – 20 minutes in total. If you don't have a deep fryer, heat up plenty of oil in a large saucepan and do it that way.

Ever notice how the chicken in stir fries at your favourite Chinese restaurant is incredibly tender? It's because they tenderise chicken using a simple method called Velveting Chicken using baking soda. It's a quick and easy method that any home cook can do, and can also be used for beef.

Place the breaded chicken on a cooling rack (or a platter) and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This cooling time will help the layers of breading ingredients solidify and adhere better after the chicken cooks. Once you start cooking the chicken, be patient and don't flip it over too early.

Should you let chicken sit in flour before frying? ›

Allow the battered chicken to sit for about 10 minutes before dropping into the hot grease to fry. This should be a standard when battering anything to fry. Seasoned flour first, then wet mixture, then seasoned mixture (don't forget to shake off the excess flour between dips).

When mixed with the flour, the cornstarch makes the flour coating crispier and gives it that golden brown color! (It has to do with prevention of gluten development.) The baking powder reacts with the oil and creates tiny air bubbles, which also helps form a crispy coating.

Step 1: Dredge the chicken

In a separate shallow dish, briefly beat the eggs with the water before adding the salt, remaining 1-1/3 cups flour and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture and then into the flour mixture. Turn each piece until it is fully coated.

Use Cornstarch or Rice Flour

Michael says that cornstarch or rice flour in combo with flour will give you the crunchiest batter. Even cake four will cook up crunchier than all-purpose flour because it doesn't have a high gluten level.

Gluten free flour works REALLY well as a coating for deep fried items. Professional chefs often say gluten free flours produce better flour than wheat flour, and I have to say I fully agree. The final batter is crispy, golden and moreish.

The key to a crispy coating, that keeps its crunch is rice flour, cornmeal and/or cornstarch!

A tremendous gluten-free replacement for all-purpose flour in the fried fish batter would be a combination of almond and rice flour. Almond flour provides a nutty flavor, while rice flour gives the batter a light and crisp texture.

Tapioca Flour (Gluten-Free)

It makes a nice, crispy alternative to wheat flour for breading pan-fried fish or chicken.