Sprinkle Baking Soda On Chicken For The Juiciest Bite Of Your Life

Chicken is among the most versatile proteins out there, found in countless dishes and cuisines around the world. However, the generally lean nature of the meat means it can be prone to drying out during the cooking process. Fortunately, a little bit of food science is all that's needed to transform unappealingly dry chicken into the juiciest bite of your life. Just head to your pantry or fridge and grab that box of baking soda.

Some basic chemistry is at play with this lesser-known technique, which helps alleviate an undesirable side-effect of the cooking process. When meat is heated to cooking temperatures, the protein fibers firm and tighten, a process that not only toughens the meat but expels flavorful juices.

However, changing the pH of the meat can slow or reduce this undesirable outcome, and applying baking soda to the surface of your chicken is a perfect way to do it. With a pH of 8.5, baking soda is a basic or alkaline substance. That's measurably higher than chicken, which typically sits just under 6, on the acidic side of the scale. Sprinkling on about 1.5 teaspoons of baking soda per pound is enough for noticeable results with no significant negative impact on flavor. This trick is popular at many Chinese restaurants, where it's known as "velveting," after the luscious texture that results. 

There are a few other things to be aware of when implementing this unexpected solution for juicy, tender chicken. First, this trick only affects the surface of the chicken where the baking soda comes into contact with the meat. As a result, it works best on ground chicken, thinly sliced or chopped chicken, or other cuts with a high ratio of surface area to weight. It also makes the most impact on quick, direct high-heat cooking, such as in a skillet or wok, meat poached directly in hot soup, and for deep-frying. 

For home cooks looking to improve their poultry game, adding baking soda is just the start of the many chicken hacks that are total game changers. Depending on the cut and desired dish, you can brine your chicken for extra juiciness, spatchcock it for quicker roasting, add vodka to fried chicken for greater crunch, and many more tricks to improve quality and make the process easier.

When you consider its many uses, there's no doubt baking soda is one of the most underrated players in home kitchens. It can serve as the secret ingredient to a sparkling clean coffee maker or produce the cleanest fruit and vegetables in the kitchen. However, a little sprinkle in your next chicken recipe can dramatically amp up the juiciness in a way you'd never expect.