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Some people go to Super Bowl parties for the game (or the halftime show), but me, I go for the food. The right game day spread can be magical—a wonderland of queso-doused nachos, slow cookers full of party meatballs, the obligatory veggie platter, dips galore, and, the pièce de résistance of football food: popcorn chicken.
On any other day, I’m a wing girl, but on game day, give me the sauciest, glossiest, crispy popcorn chicken because the last thing I want is a plateful of bones. The one catch? When popcorn chicken is over-breaded, it can lose any semblance of crispiness and be straight up gloopy after only 20 minutes on a buffet. It doesn’t even keep its crisp until halftime.
When developing my Harissa-Honey Popcorn Chicken, my goal was not only to achieve that elusive crispy-gone-just-barely-soggy bite, but also to fry up a snack that could withstand a couple hours of feasting (because, whew, football games are long). The key to popcorn chicken built for game day is a thin, shatteringly crisp outer coating that doesn’t overpower the chicken but that provides enough stability to be sauced. This breading is built in two steps: (1) the marinade, and (2) the dredge.
Substituting rice flour for wheat flour in practically any fried food is a refreshing alternative that is weightless, crispy, and tender.
First up, the marinade
The marinade, which also doubles as a batter here (that’s right, it goes straight into the dredge), imparts flavor and tenderizes the meat from the inside out. The three main marinade components are buttermilk, egg, and cornstarch—the buttermilk aids in juicy tenderness, while the egg and cornstarch start to build the foundation for that final crispy exterior.
From there, the flavorings are up to you. For me, harissa and lemon are best mates in the kitchen, so my marinade is bolstered by finely chopped preserved lemon, lemon zest, and garlic. But as long as you keep the buttermilk, egg, and cornstarch, you can go with your favorite hot sauce plus garlic and some finely chopped tender herbs, or with lime zest and ginger.
And now the most important part: the dredge
When developing this recipe, all-purpose flour seemed like a natural choice. It makes the dreamiest buttermilk fried chicken, after all. My first test—breaded in all-purpose flour—was delicious hot and freshly sauced, but as it sat out, the sauce and the breading melded together into a tasty but soggy bite an hour later. Seasoned all-purpose flour is still king when enjoying fried chicken unadorned, but the addition of sauce and time nixed it from the running for reigning popcorn chicken champion. So, if not all-purpose flour, then what?
For the second test, I drew inspiration from a few of my other favorite styles of fried chicken: Hawaiian mochiko chicken, Korean fried chicken, and Taiwanese popcorn chicken, all heralded for their ultra-crispiness thanks to a coating of sweet rice flour, rice flour, or starches like tapioca, potato, and cornstarch. I didn’t have any of the sweet rice flour classically used for mochiko chicken on hand, but I did have white rice flour, which is often used for Korean fried chicken. Along with a hearty dose of cornstarch, the rice flour became the base of my breading.
Bobs Red Mill Rice Flour
Because rice flour doesn’t absorb as much oil as all-purpose during the frying process (if you’re frying at the right temperature, of course!), it results in a less greasy final texture. The cornstarch works to keep things light and airy, and it’s fine enough to nestle into every nook and cranny without getting thick or gloppy. The cornstarch also absorbs some of the moisture from the marinade (a task that’s harder for just rice flour alone), creating those sought-after craggy bits when fried. This mix coated the chicken pieces juuust right and fried up to crispity, crunchity, ASMR perfection.
Immediately after being sauced, these nuggets were already more crunchy than the all-purpose flour, but would they fall victim to the dreaded sogginess factor? Lo and behold, two hours later, the popcorn chicken still retained an audible crunch. Dredge match winner: Rice flour and cornstarch!
I Tested 5 Fried Chicken Methods To Figure This Out
FAQ
Is rice flour good for frying?
Can I use rice flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Can we use rice flour instead of corn flour for frying?
Should I use rice flour or all-purpose flour for frying?
The choice between rice flour and all-purpose flour for frying ultimately depends on your desired outcome. If you are looking for a crispy, light, and gluten-free option, rice flour is the way to go. If you prefer a sturdier coating and golden brown color, all-purpose flour is the better choice.
Can one use rice flour while following a Keto diet?
Rice flour is one of the ones that contain the most carbohydrates, which is why it is not recommended to follow a keto diet. Flours such as coconut, seeds, almonds, and quinoa, among others, are used.
Can rice flour be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour?
It can be partly swapped for all-purpose flour in some recipes but can’t be used as a 1:1 substitute. Naturally gluten-free white or brown rice flour can be used in smaller amounts in cooking, instead of all-purpose flour, such as a thickener in sauces or stews.
Can You bake with rice flour?
Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a sort of glue that holds foods together. When baking with rice flour, you should expect results to be wholly different from when you bake with gluten-containing all-purpose flour, says the University of Missouri Extension. For one thing, rice flour doesn’t absorb liquid and fat like wheat flour.