Many people find fried chicken loses its crispness, with the crust becoming soft and chewy just minutes after sauce application. According to chef Vu Nhat Thong from Eric Cooking Class Center, TP HCM, the cause lies in the frying technique.

Chicken meat contains approximately 75% water. When fried, this internal water evaporates and escapes. This vapor, combined with liquid from the sauces, can cause the batter to absorb moisture and become soggy. Thong explained that for long-lasting crispness, a hard crust must be created to resist both steam escaping from the chicken's interior and moisture penetrating from the external sauce layer.

To achieve this, cooks need to fry the chicken two times, each with a distinct purpose.

The first fry, conducted at 160-170°C, aims to cook the meat thoroughly and dry its surface. Water in the batter and under the skin evaporates, ensuring the meat is cooked while remaining juicy. During this stage, the crust turns a light yellow and begins to harden.

After the initial fry, the chef recommends removing the chicken to a rack to drain excess oil. This brief resting period allows any remaining moisture to migrate to the surface, preparing the crust for optimal crispness during the subsequent fry.

The second fry is performed at 180-190°C for 2-3 minutes. When the surface moisture encounters the hot oil, it rapidly evaporates, creating numerous tiny air bubbles. This porous structure is key to the chicken's crispy shell. Additionally, chemical reactions at these high temperatures help the crust achieve a golden-brown color.

"The final result is a hard, dry crust that retains its crispness when coated with sauce," Thong stated.

Fried chicken sold at Homeplus supermarket in Korea. *Photo: CNN*

Yangnyeom chicken recipe

Ingredients:

1 kg chicken drumsticks or wings

15 g minced ginger, 15 g minced garlic

8 g salt, 4 g black pepper

30 ml white wine or mirin

150 g potato starch (or corn starch), 50 g crispy frying mix

For the Yangnyeom sauce: 60 g gochujang (Korean chili paste), 80 ml corn syrup or honey, 30 ml soy sauce, 20 g brown sugar, 20 g minced garlic, 15 ml rice vinegar, 10 ml sesame oil.

Instructions:

Marinate the chicken with ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and wine for 30 minutes.

Combine the potato starch with the crispy frying mix, then coat each piece of chicken evenly with a single layer of batter.

First fry at 165°C for 8-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is light yellow. Remove and let drain on a rack for about 5 minutes.

Increase the oil temperature to 185°C and second fry for 2-3 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crispy.

Saucing: Simmer the sauce mixture until it thickens. Add the fried chicken to the pan and toss quickly to coat each piece thinly, ensuring even adhesion without making the batter soggy.

Bao Nhien