Fried chicken is a beloved dish across many cultures and cuisines. The classic method of frying chicken involves dredging pieces of chicken in flour before frying them in hot oil. The flour coating helps create a crispy, browned exterior on the chicken. However, some cooks opt to fry chicken without using flour at all. This raises the question – is flour really necessary for getting perfect fried chicken? Or can you still achieve a delicious, crispy fried chicken without flour? There are pros and cons to frying chicken with and without flour. In this article, we’ll explore whether flour is an essential component or just an optional extra when making fried chicken.
Why Do Recipes Call for Flour When Frying Chicken?
There are a few main reasons why most fried chicken recipes include a flour coating:
Adheres Spices and Seasonings
Flour helps any added spices, herbs or seasonings stick to the chicken. The flour creates a tacky surface that the seasoning blends can adhere to before frying. Simply seasoning chicken with spices and herbs doesn’t always lead to an evenly coated piece of fried chicken. The flour helps make sure the flavors are distributed evenly.
Browning Reaction
Flour aids browning when exposed to high heat. The amino acids and sugars in the flour undergo the Maillard reaction under hot oil or fat, leading to enhanced browning, caramelization and the development of complex flavors. Chicken fried without flour can end up paler in color and less crispy than floured chicken.
Crisp Coating
A flour coating helps create a crispy, crunchy crust on the exterior of the chicken as it fries. The flour mixture essentially creates a thin layer of batter that gets super crispy in the hot oil. Leaving the flour off can result in chicken that is less crispy and more greasy.
Prevents Sticking
Dusting chicken pieces in flour prevents the meat from sticking to the pan or oil as it cooks. The flour creates a protective barrier between the chicken and the cooking surface. Without flour, you may end up with more sticking issues while frying.
So in summary, flour allows the chicken to brown faster, develop a crisp coating, hold onto seasoning, and prevents sticking while cooking. These effects are why flour has become such a standard ingredient in fried chicken recipes.
Potential Downsides of Using Flour
While flour provides some clear benefits, there are also a few potential downsides to using it for fried chicken:
Dilutes Spice Flavors
Since flour has a fairly bland, neutral taste on its own, it can end up diluting or dampening the flavors of spices, herbs and seasoning blends used in fried chicken. If you want the purest flavor of the seasoning mix to come through, flour may not be ideal.
Requires More Oil
The flour coating essentially creates a thin batter around the chicken, which then absorbs more oil during frying. Using flour usually means you’ll need more oil to submerge and cook the chicken than just frying plain chicken.
Messy Process
Dredging chicken pieces in flour can get messy in the kitchen. It usually requires multiple bowls, working with wet and dry hands, and having flour coating various surfaces. Skipping the flour avoids this mess and cleanup.
Extra Ingredients
Some cooks may want to use fewer ingredients and simplify the process as much as possible. Using flour adds an extra component compared to just seasoning and frying the chicken directly.
So while flour provides some cooking benefits, it also requires more oil, more prep work, and can dilute flavors. Whether these downsides outweigh the upsides depends on your priorities when frying chicken.
How to Fry Chicken Without Flour
If you want to skip the mess and extra components of flour, how can you still end up with tasty, crispy fried chicken? Here are some tips:
Choose Bone-In, Skin-On Pieces
Chicken pieces cooked on the bone with the skin intact will get crispiest. The skin has natural fats, collagen and proteins that help create a crispy texture. The bones conduct heat to the interior and keep the meat juicy. Opt for bone-in thighs, drumsticks, wings or bone-in, skin-on breast pieces.
Use a Marinade or Brine
Soaking the chicken in a marinade, buttermilk or saltwater brine before cooking helps ensure it stays juicy and adds flavor. The acid in buttermilk or citrus marinades can help break down connective tissues for more tenderness too.
Pat Chicken Dry
Make sure to pat the chicken pieces very dry with paper towels before frying. Any excess moisture on the exterior can prevent it from getting crispy and lead to more splattering during frying.
Season Generously
Don’t be shy with seasoning – add spices, herbs, salt, pepper and any other dry rubs you want directly to the chicken skin. Without a flour coating to get in the way, the seasoning will come through loud and clear.
Let It Sit
After seasoning, let the chicken rest for 10-20 minutes before frying. This allows time for the seasoning and spices to fully penetrate and flavor the meat.
Use a Thermometer
An instant read thermometer helps ensure the chicken reaches the safe internal temperature of 165°F while keeping the exterior extra crispy. Take the pan off the heat around 155°F.
Fry in Small Batches
Be sure not to overcrowd the pan when frying. Cook chicken in smaller batches to maintain the oil temperature. Overcrowding cools the oil down, resulting in greasy chicken.
Try Double Frying
For extra crispiness, you can also double fry the chicken. Fry once at a slightly lower oil temp (325°F), let it rest, then fry again at higher heat (375°F).
So with the right techniques – marinating, drying, seasoning, frying in batches at the right temperature – you can absolutely achieve delicious fried chicken without flour.
Key Considerations When Frying Chicken With or Without Flour
Whether you decide to use flour or not, here are some key tips for getting the best results:
Use the Right Oil
Choose a frying oil with a high smoke point and mild flavor. Refined peanut, vegetable, canola or grapeseed oils are ideal choices for frying chicken.
Maintain Oil Temperature
Use a thermometer and adjust the heat as needed to keep the oil within the ideal 350-375°F frying range. This prevents the chicken from getting greasy while still allowing the exterior to get crispy.
Don’t Overcrowd the Pan
Fry the chicken in batches to prevent the oil temperature from dropping dramatically. Keep pieces separated so steam can escape and all surfaces get crispy.
Use Gentle Motion
Flip and rotate the chicken gently while frying using tongs. Aggressive tossing can knock off the crust.
Allow Resting Time
Let fried chicken drain on a wire rack or paper towel-lined sheet pan for a few minutes after frying. This helps release excess grease.
Check for Doneness
Fry chicken until the internal temperature reaches 165°F and juices run clear. The meat near the bone may take longer than the outer pieces.
Keep Warm
To serve chicken fresh and hot off the fryer, place pieces in a 200°F oven on a wire rack over a sheet pan after frying. This keeps everything crispy until serving time.
Should You Fry Chicken With or Without Flour?
Whether to coat chicken in flour before frying comes down to personal preference:
Use Flour When You Want:
- A thicker, crunchier crust
- Well-browned, golden exterior
- Chicken that’s less prone to sticking
- To help seasonings adhere
Skip the Flour For:
- Simpler ingredient list
- Less oil absorption
- Purer flavor from seasonings and chicken skin
- Shorter prep time
There’s no universally “right” way – both floured and non-floured chicken can turn out delicious! Let your preferences guide you.
Recipe Comparison – Fried Chicken With and Without Flour
To demonstrate the differences between fried chicken made with and without flour, here are two recipe options:
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
This classic recipe uses flour to create a crispy fried chicken coating:
Ingredients:
- 1 whole 3-4 lb chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 2 tsp paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
- Peanut or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions:
- Place the chicken pieces in a bowl. Whisk the buttermilk and hot sauce together and pour over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- In a shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, paprika, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper.
- Remove chicken from the buttermilk mixture and let excess drip off. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture until fully coated on all sides. Place on a wire rack.
- Fill a heavy skillet or dutch oven halfway with oil. Heat to 325°F.
- Carefully add a few chicken pieces to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd. Fry for 12-15 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown.
- Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack. Bring oil back up to 325°F and repeat with remaining chicken.
- Serve hot.
Crispy Oven-Fried Chicken
This oven-fried method avoids flour for a simpler recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 whole 3-4 lb chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp hot sauce
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1⁄2 tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions:
- Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish. Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce, then pour over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, 1 tsp salt, and 1⁄2 tsp pepper.
- Remove chicken from the buttermilk mixture and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Use paper towels to remove any excess buttermilk.
- Use your hands to rub the chicken pieces all over with the spice mixture. Make sure the seasoning evenly coats every side.
- Let sit for 15 minutes to allow spices to penetrate. Meanwhile, heat oven to 425°F.
- Brush chicken pieces all over with olive oil. Place skin-side up on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through, until skin is crisp and juices run clear when pierced. Chicken is done at an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
These recipes demonstrate two different approaches to getting moist, tender chicken with a crispy crust – one using flour and one without. While the prep method varies, both can yield delicious, crave-worthy fried chicken when cooked properly. The flour version has a thicker crust, while the oven-fried method lets the seasoning shine through a bit more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about frying chicken with and without flour:
Is it okay to fry chicken without flour?
Yes, you can absolutely fry chicken without dredging it in flour first. Using the right cooking techniques, you can still achieve very crispy, flavorful chicken. The flour is not essential.
Does frying chicken without flour make it healthier?
Not necessarily. While flour adds some carbohydrates, both floured and non-floured chicken absorb a similar amount of oil when fried. For a healthier fried chicken, focus more on using a healthy oil and enjoying fried foods in moderation.
What makes fried chicken crispy without flour?
Crispiness comes from the chicken skin, frying at the right high heat to dehydrate the exterior, starting with chicken at room temperature, patting it very dry before frying, and frying in small uncrowded batches to maintain oil temperature.
Is fried chicken cooked without flour safe to eat?
Yes, as long as the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F to eliminate bacteria, it is safe to eat whether floured or not. Properly cooking the chicken through is what matters most for food safety.
What oil is best for frying chicken without flour?
For frying chicken without flour, you want a high smoke point neutral oil like refined peanut, vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil. Avoid olive oil, which can burn at high frying temperatures.
The Bottom Line
While flour is commonly used in fried chicken recipes, it is possible to make delicious crispy fried chicken without it. With the right prep techniques and frying methods, flour can be omitted for simplified recipes that let the chicken flavor and seasoning shine through. There are reasonable arguments on both sides – ultimately it comes down to your priorities and personal preferences in the kitchen when deciding whether flour is an essential or optional ingredient for you. As long as you fry at the right temperature and cook the chicken thoroughly, you can enjoy delectable crispy chicken wings, thighs, legs or breasts whether you use flour or not.