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Soggy Breaded Chicken?

 
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Crystal



Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Sat Apr 29, 2006 8:33 pm    Post subject: Soggy Breaded Chicken? Reply with quote

I need some advice. When I make breaded chicken, it never comes out nice and crispy like how my mom used to make it. I use bone-in chicken thighs (because they are so much cheaper than boneless chicken breast). I am not sure if I am supposed to skin the chicken before I coat it, or if it would be better to keep the skin on. Personally, I would want to remove it.

The coating I use is simple breadcrumbs. I dip the chicken in beated egg and then shake it in a bag with the crumbs. When it is coated as evenly enough as I can get it, I bake it in the oven. By the time it is done, the coating is greasy and soggy.

Can anyone tell me how to fix this problem?
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Anon
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PostPosted: Wed May 10, 2006 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Proper breading technique involves:

1- dredge item in flour, shake off all excess.
2- dip in egg/milk mixture, shake off excess.
3- roll generously in breadcrumbs

Sogginess would probably come from frying oil that is not hot enough. Heat your oil and test with a little ball of egg & breadcrubs- if it doesn't sizzle and brown immediatly, your oil isn't hot enough.

You can also spray the breaded chicken with a little Pam and bake your chicken (turning once) with good results and probably less chance of sogginess (also less clean-up).
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Crystal



Joined: 29 Apr 2006
Posts: 12
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Fri May 12, 2006 6:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you! I'll make sure to try this the next time I want crispy chicken! Smile
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julian
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PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 1:56 pm    Post subject: Soggy Breaded Chicken? Reply with quote

I don't bread chicken but I do fish. The trick is to roll it in flour at least twice and then add breadcrumbs and a lot of them. Then the chicken needs to be fried promptly and in at least 1/2 inch to an inch of oil in a pan. If you will deepfry, then fill it about halfway. You're welcome!
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SirSpice



Joined: 04 Dec 2006
Posts: 95

PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 1:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The three most important tricks I found for frying in oil:

-make sure you have enough oil and don't overcrowd the pan
-use a good frying oil, my favorite is peanut oil because it doesn't have any smell or taste
-take the plunge and buy a fry thermometer, it's very cheap and you'll know exactly how to fry your food right

For quick cooking things I'd start putting stuff in at 360 and keep it at 350 by adjusting the heat from time to time. For cooking chicken thighs I'd go lower to around 325 and cook it longer.
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julian
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PostPosted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I agree with SirSpice. Peanut,canola, and vegetable oils are best for frying and don't forget how much oil you use and oil temp are most important. Wink
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opqdan



Joined: 25 May 2006
Posts: 43

PostPosted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 1:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think your problem lies completely in that you are baking them. It is possible to get crispy breaded chicken by baking, but you'll have to fiddle with it a bit. Spraying with oil will help, and I would also suggest placing the chicken onto a rack over a sheet pan so that liquid could drip away and not sit in contact with the breading, especially with thighs and anything with the skin on.

I would also make sure that you follow the breading suggestions of thin coat flou, followed by egg, followed by bread crumbs. This causes the breading the adhere much better to the surface of the chicken.

Also as another suggestion, one of the recipes on this site is for baked onion rings where the breading is made from potato chips and saltines (if I remember correctly). This is similar to a recipe I've seen in Cook's Country a few times, and it always turns out excellent and super crispy. I haven't tried this on baked chicken (I fry my chicken, arteries be darned* Smile ), but it seems like it could work out very well.

*: Correctly fried chicken isn't actually much worse for you than baked as the goal is to actually soak up as little oil as possible.
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DrBiggles



Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 356
Location: Richmond, CA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 20, 2007 6:21 pm    Post subject: Re: Soggy Breaded Chicken? Reply with quote

Crystal wrote:
I need some advice. When I make breaded chicken, it never comes out nice and crispy like how my mom used to make it. I use bone-in chicken thighs (because they are so much cheaper than boneless chicken breast). I am not sure if I am supposed to skin the chicken before I coat it, or if it would be better to keep the skin on. Personally, I would want to remove it.

The coating I use is simple breadcrumbs. I dip the chicken in beated egg and then shake it in a bag with the crumbs. When it is coated as evenly enough as I can get it, I bake it in the oven. By the time it is done, the coating is greasy and soggy.

Can anyone tell me how to fix this problem?


Opqdan is spot on. It's the spraying of the oil right before you put slide the chicken, lay chicken pieces on rack and oven should be at least 375.

Try Panko bread crumbs if you can find them, that'll surely get some explosions in your mouth. I've also used potato flakes as a coating, works nicely. It is a bit trashy for most, but still kinda fun.

OH, also make sure the pan you're roasting in doesn't have high sides. Such as one with 1 1/2 inches or more. You want all sides to get as much direct heat as possible.

Biggles
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youngcook



Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 97
Location: GA

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Almost impossible,Crystal. You will be baking the wings, not frying 'em. You can only get crispy chicken when you fry it! Big smile
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DrBiggles



Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 356
Location: Richmond, CA

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 3:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

youngcook wrote:
Almost impossible,Crystal. You will be baking the wings, not frying 'em. You can only get crispy chicken when you fry it! Big smile


Not true! Here's proof.

http://www.cyberbilly.com/meathenge/archives/001033.html

And the ones I do with panko bread crumbs explode with crunchiness.

I want to make this perfectly clear. I am in NO way saying baked chicken is the same at all when compared to the shallow or deep fried version. My only point is it does come out crunchy and it is good.

Biggles
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youngcook



Joined: 11 Apr 2007
Posts: 97
Location: GA

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 6:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have tried it before biggles. It is not good. When you bake wings, you get hard , but not crunchy (more like rock-hard),chicken.
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DrBiggles



Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 356
Location: Richmond, CA

PostPosted: Wed Apr 25, 2007 8:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

youngcook wrote:
I have tried it before biggles. It is not good. When you bake wings, you get hard , but not crunchy (more like rock-hard),chicken.


You did it wrong.

Biggles
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sklc



Joined: 26 Apr 2007
Posts: 4
Location: Malaysia, but sometimes overseas

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 8:23 am    Post subject: Dry them first Reply with quote

Please make sure you dry meat with a paper towel before attempting to bread it! Also, ensure that the meat is defrosted...

Leave nothing to chance, so I'm not sure whether you had followed the basic principal of patting the wings dry... Cool
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Taamar



Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 52

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 4:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you insist on baking your chicken, use Panko instead of regular bread crumbs.
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DrBiggles



Joined: 12 May 2005
Posts: 356
Location: Richmond, CA

PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2007 9:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Taamar wrote:
If you insist on baking your chicken, use Panko instead of regular bread crumbs.


Oh, I suggested that already. PC ain't listenin'. Looks as though I may have cook a load and put up a post.

Biggles
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