The Classic Snack Staple That Makes Fried Chicken 10x As Crunchy

Fried chicken is one of the deliciously craveable dishes where each home cook or restaurant seems to have their own unique twist. If you're looking to change things up for your next batch, consider an additional ingredient that can amp up the crunch by an order of magnitude: potato chips. When integrated into the coating covering the chicken, it's an easy way to add flavor and extra texture to this familiar favorite.

There are two main ways to use potato chips in the frying process, starting with integrating some (how much depends on your recipe) into a traditional fried chicken batter. Combine crushed potato chips with flour (you can also add cornmeal) to create the craggy, super crunchy coating. Alternatively, home cooks can dredge their chicken solely in crushed chips, resulting in a lighter, flakier exterior shell. Although the former method may produce a more familiar final result, the chip-only version offers a noticeable change of pace, as well as producing a naturally gluten-free version of the dish (for chips without any added wheat or other gluten-containing ingredients).

Home cooks can slightly shift the potato chip breading by using a variety of popular chip brands. For example, those looking for finer pieces can crush up some delicate Lay's, while thick Cape Cod kettle chips offer larger, more textured fragments.

Adding chips to your fried chicken can also provide more than just a crunchy texture boost. Anyone who has explored the snack aisle at their local supermarket has likely seen the ever-changing and expanding selection of unique chip flavors gracing the shelves. Options include flavors as bizarre as biscuits and gravy, grilled cheese and tomato soup, and even cinnamon bun, alongside more familiar ones like barbecue, salt and vinegar, and sour cream and onion. Each will naturally bring its own character to your fried chicken, boosting flavor without the need for any messy sauces.

Beyond familiar Southern-style fried chicken, this versatile tip can be applied to plenty of other crispy fried chicken recipes that will make your mouth water, from potato chip chicken cordon bleu to potato chip chicken wings. So, if you feel like your next batch of fried chicken needs something extra, look to the snack section of your pantry. A bag of chips is all it takes to create a taste and texture unlike anything you've tried before.