When I deep fry I strain out the oil using a fine mesh skimmer and leave it on the stovetop under the cover to use again. I’ll use it multiple times over the next few weeks until it no longer fries well (it’ll turn foamy and dark), then pour into a sealed container with a funnel and discard. I go through short frying binges like that every few months so I don’t have to deal with the hassle of straining and storing partially-used oil. If you only want to fry once and save the oil, strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with coffee filter set over a bowl. Let it cool then transfer to a sealed container and store in the fridge until ready to use again. Fry oil reuse life varies a great deal depending on what you’re frying. Typically the more small particulate matter falls into it the shorter the lifespan. EDIT: as some people mentioned below, you can also use the used fry oil for normal sautéing or searing or stir-fry. If I have a pan of used deep fry oil on my stovetop I’ll typically just grab a bit with my wok spatula or spoon if I need some oil while I’m cooking other dishes.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt I don't know if it's my temperature or what, but when I fry chicken for the household, it usually gets dirty and murky after the first use. We're talking maybe 4 or 5 chicken thighs the same size that you used in this video. I've tried to strain it and keep it, but the color is already so far from the "normal" color of my oil and I've always been told that's a strong indicator that the oil should be disposed of.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt I loved your past videos on cleaning and such (thinking cast iron, cleaning stainless steel, prepping & storing some vegetables after buying them). I know there are a lot of videos out there discussing these things (like Babish, Ethan, etc.) but your delivery, presentation, and off the cuff knowledge are what make your videos so lovable. It would be fantastic to get another video like what you just explained, or similarly, any other cleaning / non-cooking / cooking adjacent videos in the future assuming that's something you would actually want to do. Your detailed responses, here and on Insta, are what really set you apart as an educator. Thank you for your effort, hard work, and persistence - I selfishly use you as motivation to drive myself in my own career as a professional classical musician and teacher - it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
@@NarutoFreak47 Check just in case if it a high smoke point oil, but yes, it's probably the temperature of the oil. Going over 350F will rapidly deteriorate it. You sometimes need to get to 360F, like to get nice crispy fries, but try to avoid as much as possible frying for long period of time at that temp. For example for fries, it should take no more than 1 or 2 minutes, only to crisp them up (considering you already fried them once at a lower temp to cook them).
@@Windvern I was originally on canola for frying but recently switched to peanut and both had the same effect. I do turn the heat up a bit to overcompensate for the cold chicken going on, but I might be hedging a bit too far in that direction. I'll try bringing it down a little next time and see what it looks like. Thank you!
There’s regular pre- and post reel Adsense ads on these videos but they should all be skippable and if you use UA-cam Red they won’t show at all. I don’t do any paid promotion or sponsorships in my videos of any kind, ever. Adsense and book sales is my income from these videos.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt I don't think your viewers will mind at all taking a product promotion that you really recommend and make sense with what you do, very small price to pay for what you do. Or set-up a patreon that you would donate to No Kid Hungry that way people are more inclined to donate cause they will have something in return? just my thoughts
This is exactly why you are my favourite chef of all time. I followed you in the food lab, years ago following your exploration and interest and love of cooking. But your casual not egotistical cooking is so refreshing and your casual approach in this show is so comforting, really amazing. Good food - be it fancy, plain, complex or simple, you give it all up here without favour Loving the new book. Me and the kids are doing recipes together from it weekly, another stay at home dad btw.
Agreed 100% about the casual approach. I watched many cooking shows on tv and youtube but never got the courage to consistently cook at home until I found Kenji.
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made this for my girlfriend tonight with a homemade thousand island sauce (with my secret ingredient: smoked paprika), brioche buns, and iceberg lettuce. I marinated the chicken for two hours in pickle juice leftover from a batch her grandma gave us. Anyway, my gf declared it to be one of the most delicious things she's ever eaten and by far the best chicken burger she's ever had! Thanks again! We both loved it!
Seeing you take out all the little crispy bits and save them reminds me of a place called Rips Tavern in Ladd, Illinois I’d go to when visiting family. They’d bring you the crispy bits and pickles as complimentary appetizer for the table before you ordered. Love the video!
Went to Long John silver as a kid and my mom ordered clams and because she had an accent they thought she said crumbs so they gave us a bunch of crispy bits and we were like WTF did they give us instead of food?
@@EthosOfCoercion I stopped and googled to see if that was just an Office reference or both he and The Office were referencing something else. There is a Miracle Whip ad that the Office line was referencing, but What Kenji said was definitely referencing The Office line of Jim imitating Stanley.
These videos of your recipes are infinitely more helpful than your (already incredibly helpful) written recipes-especially for people with children. The little shortcuts or hacks you show in the videos are really what make them invaluable. If I had read the recipe I wouldn't have tried to make this; seeing you do it so nonchalantly made me believe I could make it today. I did, and everyone loved it. Thank you!
this is actually perfect, all those high end videos from chefs and everything just isnt very feasible for home cooks, this is perfect its not overly done its not glamorous it shows you exactly what to expect at home.
hey kenji just wanted to say i've been following your channel for a while now. you've given me the confidence to cook and experiment with different flavors and cooking is now one of my favorite things to do
My favorite thing about Kenjis channel is he cooks drinking munchies food. But he’s also incredibly relatable and an amazing chef as well. Kenji is my go to for home cooking techniques and awesome recipes. I’m gonna def try this one soon.
Literally just finished making this thanks to you. Learned a lot through trial and still ended up with some delicious sandwiches! Wish I could like this more than once!! I'll be spreading the word though, don't worry.
Kenji thank you for your simple yet logical explanation for using a wok to deep fry. I rarely deep fry , but now it's time for me to invest in a wok and makes this awesome chicken sandwich! Thank you.
So I actually made these tonight, finished it just now. Used pickles as per the "original" recipe as Kenji described (though I'm jealous of the peppers, I want to try that next). Didn't have self-rising flour, but made my own also per Kenji's recommendation. Flour, salt and pepper, spoon of baking powder. I let the chicken breast soak in pickle juice (from my jar of pickle chips) for about 3 hours. Took the breast out and slightly thickened the pickle juice with a big heaping spoon of greek yogurt stirred in. Coated the chicken in the wet, dredged it in the dry. Also did the "extra cragglies" trick by pouring some of the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stirring it a bit before dredging. I would recommend pan frying it as per Kenji's instructions, do not do what I did, but I grabbed some metal tongs and actually deep fried the whole chicken breast. I made sure to pull it out if things looked even slightly on the unruly side, then re-submerged. I really babied it and paid close attention to it. After probably 6-8 minutes, the browning was beautiful so I called it done. I let it rest for about 5 minutes just to make sure carryover heat kept the thicker bits going just in case. Anyways, I sandwiched it all up with pickle chips and some toasted bread (wish I had some buns, but it wasn't a big deal). Was SUPER delicious. If you like pickles and fried chicken, it's heavenly. Really "present" tang from the greek yogurt too. Outside was crispy. Inside was perfectly cooked, not undercooked anywhere, nice and juicy. I'm absolutely doing this again soon. Just posted this because I figure so many people on cooking videos just say "I'm hungry, wish I had this" so I wanted to be one of the few to say "I actually made this!"
Thanks for this recipe! I just made this for the family same day, and they loved it! Some of us ate the fries chicken on a sandwich, and others ate it as is. I cooked about 10 thighs,each one cut in half, for a total of 20 pieces, and they were gone by this morning. I really liked the slight pickle flavor that stuck around.
Well I was gonna make some thai coconut soup tonight with the chicken I had, but I think I just changed my mind. That *CRUNCH* when you bit into it was so satisfying lol
Just made these, recipe is incredibly good for how simple it is. A tip to make them even better is to do a second coating before frying, after putting it in the flour, put it into the brine again and then once more into the flour, really gets it coated.
I made chicken fingers with this recipe over the weekend. Delicious. From here on out I will always brine my chicken in jalapeno juice when frying it. I also added a bit of cayenne to the flour. My breading didn't stick very well. Next time I think I'll brine over night to get some more jalapeno into the chicken and before adding the buttermilk I'll take the chicken out, pat them dry and give them a light coat of the flour before dredging and breading again. J. Kenji López-Alt recipes never fail.
Thanks, Knji! I just made this (for the second time) and used a bit Hot Mama's oil in the brine. They came out PERFECT. My wife told me I have to stop making fried chicken now. Cheers!
made fried chicken yesterday and didnt have buttermilk, so just used pickle juice and whole milk. worked great! that bit of liquid in the dry flour was a super pointer too, never had done that before. good stuff kenji!!!
Last time I tried frying something the oil went over and caught fire and I had to use a fire extinguisher. It's been a decade, but I've still not fried anything since. This video makes me want to try again though.
Good rule of thumb is to never fill the oil over halfway in the pot you are frying in. The food will raise the oil level plus there's bubbling and splashing Give it another try and good luck!
Before you try, study up on the fundamentals of how hot oil behaves. If you understand the basics of what oil will and will not do when you handle it right, you'll have no reason to be scared of it. For example, temperature: Oil that is too hot will be more explosive when you first put food in. Use a thermometer and keep your oil to no more than 375-400 *before* the food is added so that it drops to 325-350 after, and you'll never have to worry about the oil jumping up at you or rapidly boiling over. If it drops more than 50 degrees, you are probably trying to cook too much at once, which is both a safety hazard and also likely to make your breading soggy. Kenji suggests 425 at first and then adjusts down to 375, but personally I would just not ever go above 400 if you're a beginner. I can promise you that if you add reasonably dry food to oil that is less than 400 degrees in a vessel plenty big enough, it is never going to do anything crazy, just bubble around the edges of the food. Keeping the oil below 400 also reduces breakdown and vaporization that coats every surface in your kitchen with that burnt oil smell. I can't think of any reason to fry at home in oil hotter than 400 degrees. I'd also stress that it is more important than any other cooking method to start with a clean workstation. Have your ingredients ready and nothing out that you don't need. Don't take my word for it though, do your own research and get a good vessel (like a carbon steel wok) and a thermometer for the oil temp, and enjoy your chicken :)
By far the best fried chicken you can make at home! My girlfriend and I are always surprised by the result. I top it off with chic fil a sauce from the store and the similarity is uncanny.
If you're going the buttermilk route like I did, I would suggest taking the chicken out of the brine and dipping it just into the buttermilk, rather than mixing the buttermilk with the brine. Mine was a bit too watery when I did that. Still tasted great!
I love using lard for deep frying. It doesn't seep too deep into the food and it doesnt make food taste oily like canola does. Also there is no waxy stuff like beef tallow or duck & goose fat. Plus the smell is heavenly!😍
Impeccable video as always Kenji. I love every recipe of yours I've tried and your warmth and enthusiasm for food and teaching about food is infectious. I will be making this in the coming days although I will probably break the 5 ingredient mark by adding some form of homemade mayo/aioli. Hope you're enjoying Colombia
Every time I see a deep fried recipe, I always think about your technique on how to clean the oil using gelatin. Life changing pro tip. I use it all the time. Extends the life of the oil.
Funny enough, I had this good general TSO recipe that I enjoyed. Started adding some of my liquid brine to the chicken chunks and it made the chicken nuggets so much crispier and better too :)
Any ingredient that lasts for more than 6 months in the pantry after being opened (still safe and at least 60% as flavorful/aromatic), is relatively cheap, and very commonly used I would say you don't count as an ingredient. Salt is cheap, common, and lasts literally forever. Whole black peppercorns in a pepper mill fit the bill. Bran and peanut oil I would count as an ingredient
Thanks for the tip on adding some brine to the dry dredge - I’d never heard anyone address HOW restaurants got such an amazing breading. (And the wok tip is another game changer.) cheers!
Is it advisable to do a mix of pickle juice and buttermilk for an overnight brine in the fridge? Would like to get the benefits of both overnight if that would make sense??
Happened to have this stuff around the house and made some chicken sandwiches for dinner (with some gochugaru, and a sweet, spicy and smoky mayo sauce). It was freaking great! Thanks Kenji!
There is a biscuit shop in Asheville NC that makes a mimosa fried chicken biscuit and the recipe for the chicken is essentially a mimosa based brine with coriander. If I ever fry chicken, it's my preferred recipe. Name of the restaurant is called "BiscuitHead" if you ever visit the area EDIT: here is the ingredients for the brine if anyone is interested: - 2 tbsp kosher salt - 3 tbsp sugar - 2 tsp ground coriander - 1 bay leaf - 2 cups water - 2 tsp paprika - 1 tsp curry powder - 2 cups orange juice - 0.25 cups champagne (or white wine) Works for 4 chicken thighs according to the recipe
@@womanking ingredients for the brine: - 2 tbsp kosher salt - 3 tbsp sugar - 2 tsp ground coriander - 1 bay leaf - 2 cups water - 2 tsp paprika - 1 tsp curry powder - 2 cups orange juice - 0.25 cups champagne (or white wine) Works for 4 chicken thighs according to the recipe
I had to take a break from eating this recipe to come and leave a comment. RUN DON’T WALK TO MAKE THIS RECIPE. Screw the haters, this is the most delicious chicken sandwich I have ever had. I marinated it in pickle juice for about 8 hours. This shit is beyond divine - this is the kind of simple delicious food that will break your brain. THANK YOU!!!!!!
Kenji this is a great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. I've learned quite a bit from you over the past year and always look forward to your content. I pay close attention to the details - so I have this question; at 6:09 I notice a usb cord for your composter box. Can you explain this for me? I've been scouring the `net for one of these but don't seem to find anything like it. Is this one of your own inventions?? 🤣🤣🤣 (gosh I hope ya'll know I'm just kidding)
Unbelievable that this is 13 minutes long (with exception to waiting for the brine). You make it look so easy. This would take me probably at least 2 hours.
Question - can you please cover in a future video == how do you keep the oil clean, do you have multiple pans going when cooking or do you switch out the oil and fry in batches? My family loved this chicken burger but the later chicken is really dark. Thank you
Know this video is pretty old but is there any reason to not brine with pickle juice/yogurt mixture from the start? Would this not lead to a more tender chicken? Curious
How do you prevent the flour and the buttermilk brine, in this case yoghurt and pickle juice brine, from becoming gloopy and gluey when dredging? everytime i have made fried chicken the coating hydrates too quickly. is it just the case of working quickly?
You may have already answered this, but what's the difference in brining with the pickle juice and THEN adding the buttermilk? I ask because I've done the buttermilk brine by itself for your Chicken Parm recipe (which is insanely good) and I'd love to understand any of the science behind the difference with this recipe. THANKS! You are literally my favorite.
Good tip about frying in the wok J.K. Haha, I feel so stupid. It's one of those things I should of realised without someone pointing it out. Do you do 50-50 with the rice bran and peanut oil?
I know this is an old video but hopefully youll still see this Kenji. MY question is, is there any reason why once im done frying my chicken, the crispy batter just falls off the chicken? I took my chicken out the oil and the crispyness just slid right off and I was so heartbroken. Any advice would be appreciated!
I’m extremely curious to learn more about oil. The health pros/cons and what to look for in the store. It’s easy to assume the more I pay the better it is for me but I feel like I’ve had a hard time learning the facts. Do you have any suggestions for where to start?
How do you recommend storing oil after being used like this? Do you have an article or video on this?
When I deep fry I strain out the oil using a fine mesh skimmer and leave it on the stovetop under the cover to use again. I’ll use it multiple times over the next few weeks until it no longer fries well (it’ll turn foamy and dark), then pour into a sealed container with a funnel and discard.
I go through short frying binges like that every few months so I don’t have to deal with the hassle of straining and storing partially-used oil.
If you only want to fry once and save the oil, strain through a fine mesh strainer lined with coffee filter set over a bowl. Let it cool then transfer to a sealed container and store in the fridge until ready to use again. Fry oil reuse life varies a great deal depending on what you’re frying. Typically the more small particulate matter falls into it the shorter the lifespan.
EDIT: as some people mentioned below, you can also use the used fry oil for normal sautéing or searing or stir-fry. If I have a pan of used deep fry oil on my stovetop I’ll typically just grab a bit with my wok spatula or spoon if I need some oil while I’m cooking other dishes.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt I don't know if it's my temperature or what, but when I fry chicken for the household, it usually gets dirty and murky after the first use. We're talking maybe 4 or 5 chicken thighs the same size that you used in this video. I've tried to strain it and keep it, but the color is already so far from the "normal" color of my oil and I've always been told that's a strong indicator that the oil should be disposed of.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt I loved your past videos on cleaning and such (thinking cast iron, cleaning stainless steel, prepping & storing some vegetables after buying them). I know there are a lot of videos out there discussing these things (like Babish, Ethan, etc.) but your delivery, presentation, and off the cuff knowledge are what make your videos so lovable. It would be fantastic to get another video like what you just explained, or similarly, any other cleaning / non-cooking / cooking adjacent videos in the future assuming that's something you would actually want to do.
Your detailed responses, here and on Insta, are what really set you apart as an educator. Thank you for your effort, hard work, and persistence - I selfishly use you as motivation to drive myself in my own career as a professional classical musician and teacher - it does not go unnoticed or unappreciated.
@@NarutoFreak47 Check just in case if it a high smoke point oil, but yes, it's probably the temperature of the oil. Going over 350F will rapidly deteriorate it. You sometimes need to get to 360F, like to get nice crispy fries, but try to avoid as much as possible frying for long period of time at that temp. For example for fries, it should take no more than 1 or 2 minutes, only to crisp them up (considering you already fried them once at a lower temp to cook them).
@@Windvern I was originally on canola for frying but recently switched to peanut and both had the same effect. I do turn the heat up a bit to overcompensate for the cold chicken going on, but I might be hedging a bit too far in that direction. I'll try bringing it down a little next time and see what it looks like. Thank you!
Kenji is the reason why I’m constantly hungry in the middle of the night.
Man's conditioned us to cook in the middile of the night lmao
or afternoon...and morning.
I will never stop being amazed on how we don’t have to pay for these videos , all the knowledge we get from Kenji is priceless. Thank you Kenji.
I don't believe Kenji gets paid for making them either. I don't see any ads anywhere.
ua-cam.com/channels/Fh7WIEOOgimAs5Wst34R4w.html Support my cooking channel too
Kenji is the real ass deal. Love him! He gives me a sliver of hope for humanity in this crumbling mess we call America 🇺🇸🫠🫥
There’s regular pre- and post reel Adsense ads on these videos but they should all be skippable and if you use UA-cam Red they won’t show at all. I don’t do any paid promotion or sponsorships in my videos of any kind, ever. Adsense and book sales is my income from these videos.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt I don't think your viewers will mind at all taking a product promotion that you really recommend and make sense with what you do, very small price to pay for what you do. Or set-up a patreon that you would donate to No Kid Hungry that way people are more inclined to donate cause they will have something in return? just my thoughts
That crunch and “hoo!” Classic. The science and real time cooking process is why these are some of my favorite cooking videos out there. Thanks bud!
Ikr! I love these vids, too. Been a while for me but ah well.
This is exactly why you are my favourite chef of all time. I followed you in the food lab, years ago following your exploration and interest and love of cooking. But your casual not egotistical cooking is so refreshing and your casual approach in this show is so comforting, really amazing. Good food - be it fancy, plain, complex or simple, you give it all up here without favour
Loving the new book. Me and the kids are doing recipes together from it weekly, another stay at home dad btw.
Agreed 100% about the casual approach. I watched many cooking shows on tv and youtube but never got the courage to consistently cook at home until I found Kenji.
Good way to put it. He’s a G and the way he does it in real time shows a amateur chef like me it’s possible
@@andrewkeller1117 His casual style combined with the very minimal editing made me finally want to try cooking myself
I made this recipe for my wife when she had a rough day at work. It made our day so much better. Thank you!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I made this for my girlfriend tonight with a homemade thousand island sauce (with my secret ingredient: smoked paprika), brioche buns, and iceberg lettuce. I marinated the chicken for two hours in pickle juice leftover from a batch her grandma gave us.
Anyway, my gf declared it to be one of the most delicious things she's ever eaten and by far the best chicken burger she's ever had! Thanks again! We both loved it!
The subtle, yet genius, cooking tips you give in your videos are impeccable. Thank you!
It's crazy, every time Kenji releases a video my meal plan suddenly changes
Just when i was about to sleep... Here comes kenji with a mouth watering chicken sandwich video.
Ugh, im currently in bed right now wide awake after putting this video on thinking "oh, this will be nice to sleep to"
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Seeing you take out all the little crispy bits and save them reminds me of a place called Rips Tavern in Ladd, Illinois I’d go to when visiting family. They’d bring you the crispy bits and pickles as complimentary appetizer for the table before you ordered. Love the video!
That's the most genius innovation I've ever heard of in the restaurant industry.
Went to Long John silver as a kid and my mom ordered clams and because she had an accent they thought she said crumbs so they gave us a bunch of crispy bits and we were like WTF did they give us instead of food?
Yeah when I was a kid Long John, and Captain D's would always serve you crispy bits. Or put extra in your order if you asked for it.
The wok requires less oil because of its sloping sides as compared tp a cylinrical vessel and so will also heat more quickly.
I’ve never laughed as hard as I did in a kenji video until he said “I prefer the tangy zip of miracle whip” in the most southern accent ever. Fitting.
Never?
Never
It's a reference to The Office - in an episode Jim says that line while doing an impression of Stanley
3:48
@@EthosOfCoercion I stopped and googled to see if that was just an Office reference or both he and The Office were referencing something else. There is a Miracle Whip ad that the Office line was referencing, but What Kenji said was definitely referencing The Office line of Jim imitating Stanley.
I’ve also found frying in a wok reduces the amount of oil needed.
Indeed, the round shape gives more surface area when compared to a cylinder of equal volume
Also, the nazis probably used Dutch oven shaped pots rather than woks for deep frying.
@@triniplayer6172 I think it wouldn't make sense that nazis would use woks for deep frying. Can you picture that?
@@nambo1445 the Nazis also probably wrote on paper and used spoons to eat with. What a great point youve made
@@bobslayer1285 I suppose that's possible. 🤔 They didn't use keyboards though, or phones. So i think we're still ok.
These videos of your recipes are infinitely more helpful than your (already incredibly helpful) written recipes-especially for people with children. The little shortcuts or hacks you show in the videos are really what make them invaluable. If I had read the recipe I wouldn't have tried to make this; seeing you do it so nonchalantly made me believe I could make it today. I did, and everyone loved it. Thank you!
this is actually perfect, all those high end videos from chefs and everything just isnt very feasible for home cooks, this is perfect its not overly done its not glamorous it shows you exactly what to expect at home.
hey kenji just wanted to say i've been following your channel for a while now. you've given me the confidence to cook and experiment with different flavors and cooking is now one of my favorite things to do
My favorite thing about Kenjis channel is he cooks drinking munchies food. But he’s also incredibly relatable and an amazing chef as well. Kenji is my go to for home cooking techniques and awesome recipes. I’m gonna def try this one soon.
Literally just finished making this thanks to you. Learned a lot through trial and still ended up with some delicious sandwiches! Wish I could like this more than once!! I'll be spreading the word though, don't worry.
Kenji thank you for your simple yet logical explanation for using a wok to deep fry. I rarely deep fry , but now it's time for me to invest in a wok and makes this awesome chicken sandwich! Thank you.
Facts I was thinking the same thing
@@spaceboyray Yup. Buying a wok today!
I made this last weekend for my family. We absolutely loved it. Thank you for sharing this.
So I actually made these tonight, finished it just now. Used pickles as per the "original" recipe as Kenji described (though I'm jealous of the peppers, I want to try that next).
Didn't have self-rising flour, but made my own also per Kenji's recommendation. Flour, salt and pepper, spoon of baking powder.
I let the chicken breast soak in pickle juice (from my jar of pickle chips) for about 3 hours. Took the breast out and slightly thickened the pickle juice with a big heaping spoon of greek yogurt stirred in. Coated the chicken in the wet, dredged it in the dry. Also did the "extra cragglies" trick by pouring some of the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stirring it a bit before dredging.
I would recommend pan frying it as per Kenji's instructions, do not do what I did, but I grabbed some metal tongs and actually deep fried the whole chicken breast. I made sure to pull it out if things looked even slightly on the unruly side, then re-submerged. I really babied it and paid close attention to it. After probably 6-8 minutes, the browning was beautiful so I called it done. I let it rest for about 5 minutes just to make sure carryover heat kept the thicker bits going just in case.
Anyways, I sandwiched it all up with pickle chips and some toasted bread (wish I had some buns, but it wasn't a big deal). Was SUPER delicious. If you like pickles and fried chicken, it's heavenly. Really "present" tang from the greek yogurt too. Outside was crispy. Inside was perfectly cooked, not undercooked anywhere, nice and juicy. I'm absolutely doing this again soon.
Just posted this because I figure so many people on cooking videos just say "I'm hungry, wish I had this" so I wanted to be one of the few to say "I actually made this!"
I missed this style of video. It's the reason I subscribed to you. Love the simplicity and late evening vibes.
Thanks for this recipe! I just made this for the family same day, and they loved it! Some of us ate the fries chicken on a sandwich, and others ate it as is. I cooked about 10 thighs,each one cut in half, for a total of 20 pieces, and they were gone by this morning. I really liked the slight pickle flavor that stuck around.
Well I was gonna make some thai coconut soup tonight with the chicken I had, but I think I just changed my mind.
That *CRUNCH* when you bit into it was so satisfying lol
I appreciate the unit conversions in the video Kenji!
i love the little compost bucket, very clever.
Just made these, recipe is incredibly good for how simple it is. A tip to make them even better is to do a second coating before frying, after putting it in the flour, put it into the brine again and then once more into the flour, really gets it coated.
I made chicken fingers with this recipe over the weekend. Delicious. From here on out I will always brine my chicken in jalapeno juice when frying it. I also added a bit of cayenne to the flour.
My breading didn't stick very well. Next time I think I'll brine over night to get some more jalapeno into the chicken and before adding the buttermilk I'll take the chicken out, pat them dry and give them a light coat of the flour before dredging and breading again. J. Kenji López-Alt recipes never fail.
I was just thinking about the buttermilk fried chicken my grandma would make us, and how I really wanted to relive that. Thank you Kenji.
this video has thus changed my life forever. i will always remember this video in hard times.
Thanks, Knji! I just made this (for the second time) and used a bit Hot Mama's oil in the brine. They came out PERFECT. My wife told me I have to stop making fried chicken now. Cheers!
I always appreciate the recipe and then all the info about how to adapt it! I never thought of using yogurt instead of buttermilk!
it might have been hot but that crunch at 11:58 was incredible
Jerma spottes
made fried chicken yesterday and didnt have buttermilk, so just used pickle juice and whole milk. worked great! that bit of liquid in the dry flour was a super pointer too, never had done that before. good stuff kenji!!!
Last time I tried frying something the oil went over and caught fire and I had to use a fire extinguisher. It's been a decade, but I've still not fried anything since. This video makes me want to try again though.
Good rule of thumb is to never fill the oil over halfway in the pot you are frying in. The food will raise the oil level plus there's bubbling and splashing
Give it another try and good luck!
And to be safe you can invest 20 dollars for a thermometer, gives you the peace of mind
Before you try, study up on the fundamentals of how hot oil behaves. If you understand the basics of what oil will and will not do when you handle it right, you'll have no reason to be scared of it. For example, temperature:
Oil that is too hot will be more explosive when you first put food in. Use a thermometer and keep your oil to no more than 375-400 *before* the food is added so that it drops to 325-350 after, and you'll never have to worry about the oil jumping up at you or rapidly boiling over. If it drops more than 50 degrees, you are probably trying to cook too much at once, which is both a safety hazard and also likely to make your breading soggy.
Kenji suggests 425 at first and then adjusts down to 375, but personally I would just not ever go above 400 if you're a beginner. I can promise you that if you add reasonably dry food to oil that is less than 400 degrees in a vessel plenty big enough, it is never going to do anything crazy, just bubble around the edges of the food. Keeping the oil below 400 also reduces breakdown and vaporization that coats every surface in your kitchen with that burnt oil smell. I can't think of any reason to fry at home in oil hotter than 400 degrees.
I'd also stress that it is more important than any other cooking method to start with a clean workstation. Have your ingredients ready and nothing out that you don't need.
Don't take my word for it though, do your own research and get a good vessel (like a carbon steel wok) and a thermometer for the oil temp, and enjoy your chicken :)
@@austin4855 perfect explanation- thanks!
Thanks for all the tips guys!
By far the best fried chicken you can make at home! My girlfriend and I are always surprised by the result. I top it off with chic fil a sauce from the store and the similarity is uncanny.
I use the leftover brine from home fermented chilis to brine chicken, can definitely recommend!
I refer to this video whenever I make fried chicken. Thank you Kenji. A simple video for a great tasting chicken sandwich.
Papa Kenji blessing us yet again. Already know this is gonna be fire
12:48 I greatly appreciated that, thanks for the shoutout after this delicious recipe!
I just did this but did 50/50 pickle and jalapeño juice overnight, then 50/50 AP and corn starch. Fire recipe!!!
I used left over brine from a jar of olives that I had added garlic and chillis too a few days before came out amazing.
If you're going the buttermilk route like I did, I would suggest taking the chicken out of the brine and dipping it just into the buttermilk, rather than mixing the buttermilk with the brine. Mine was a bit too watery when I did that. Still tasted great!
I love using lard for deep frying. It doesn't seep too deep into the food and it doesnt make food taste oily like canola does. Also there is no waxy stuff like beef tallow or duck & goose fat. Plus the smell is heavenly!😍
Impeccable video as always Kenji. I love every recipe of yours I've tried and your warmth and enthusiasm for food and teaching about food is infectious. I will be making this in the coming days although I will probably break the 5 ingredient mark by adding some form of homemade mayo/aioli.
Hope you're enjoying Colombia
Every time I see a deep fried recipe, I always think about your technique on how to clean the oil using gelatin. Life changing pro tip. I use it all the time. Extends the life of the oil.
At 11:15 I thought you were going to salt the dog.
Funny enough, I had this good general TSO recipe that I enjoyed. Started adding some of my liquid brine to the chicken chunks and it made the chicken nuggets so much crispier and better too :)
Any ingredient that lasts for more than 6 months in the pantry after being opened (still safe and at least 60% as flavorful/aromatic), is relatively cheap, and very commonly used I would say you don't count as an ingredient. Salt is cheap, common, and lasts literally forever. Whole black peppercorns in a pepper mill fit the bill. Bran and peanut oil I would count as an ingredient
Thanks for the tip on adding some brine to the dry dredge - I’d never heard anyone address HOW restaurants got such an amazing breading. (And the wok tip is another game changer.) cheers!
I've made these sandwiches before and they're amazing.
Is it advisable to do a mix of pickle juice and buttermilk for an overnight brine in the fridge? Would like to get the benefits of both overnight if that would make sense??
Happened to have this stuff around the house and made some chicken sandwiches for dinner (with some gochugaru, and a sweet, spicy and smoky mayo sauce). It was freaking great! Thanks Kenji!
Looks delicious . I love your new book. Lots of material to digest
This sandwich made Kenji literally giggle that’s all I need to hear to know this is a good recipe
I can't imagine how hot that was when you bit into it! Looks amazing. Excellent tips!
It was around 165F.
@@JKenjiLopezAlt lmao dude sometimes I can’t even tell if your meaning to be funny, this reply made me cackle.
@@AquaTechTanks nah he's being funny. Kenji has a sharp sense of humor, but he keeps it low key ;)
There is a biscuit shop in Asheville NC that makes a mimosa fried chicken biscuit and the recipe for the chicken is essentially a mimosa based brine with coriander. If I ever fry chicken, it's my preferred recipe.
Name of the restaurant is called "BiscuitHead" if you ever visit the area
EDIT: here is the ingredients for the brine if anyone is interested:
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 2 cups orange juice
- 0.25 cups champagne (or white wine)
Works for 4 chicken thighs according to the recipe
Damn... Writing that down immediately
@@womanking ingredients for the brine:
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups water
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp curry powder
- 2 cups orange juice
- 0.25 cups champagne (or white wine)
Works for 4 chicken thighs according to the recipe
@@JonathanKayne thank you!
Thank you for this recipe. Fried chicken has always been a hard one for me to get right. I think I can do this.
spicy pickles is the way to go fs. if you use bread and butter, golden NC BBQ sauce is a good combo for a sweet and savory style
This is my new favorite cooking channel
I made cacio e pepe at 2am this morning following Kenji's instruction video..it turned out perfect...
This is going on the dinner list for the week. Fantastic stuff, Kenji. Thank you.
Another awesome recipe and Kenji makes it look so easy and doable. Can’t wait to try it!
Feel like adding the yogurt/sour cream as a spread on the sandwich would be good, too!
most replayed moments, the ingredients and when you gave some chicken to your lovely dog
Dude! that little giggle in-between bites says it all?👍
Dear Kenji, it's 3am here, why you gotta make me hungry? Love ya!
Would you recommend adding baking powder to a liquid batter to make the breading lighter?
I had to take a break from eating this recipe to come and leave a comment. RUN DON’T WALK TO MAKE THIS RECIPE. Screw the haters, this is the most delicious chicken sandwich I have ever had. I marinated it in pickle juice for about 8 hours. This shit is beyond divine - this is the kind of simple delicious food that will break your brain. THANK YOU!!!!!!
I like the new look of Kenji!
Kenji this is a great recipe! Thank you so much for sharing. I've learned quite a bit from you over the past year and always look forward to your content. I pay close attention to the details - so I have this question; at 6:09 I notice a usb cord for your composter box. Can you explain this for me? I've been scouring the `net for one of these but don't seem to find anything like it. Is this one of your own inventions?? 🤣🤣🤣 (gosh I hope ya'll know I'm just kidding)
Badass Chef with a badass pepper grinder!!
"Slightly over-toasted" is my favorite way to eat breads
you know it's hot when shabu drops it on the floor to cool down
Unbelievable that this is 13 minutes long (with exception to waiting for the brine). You make it look so easy. This would take me probably at least 2 hours.
same. Maybe even 3.
Question - can you please cover in a future video == how do you keep the oil clean, do you have multiple pans going when cooking or do you switch out the oil and fry in batches? My family loved this chicken burger but the later chicken is really dark. Thank you
I've made pickle brined chicken before but I never considered using jalapenos for the brine. My eyes have been opened!
this has been the best fried chicken I cooked. Thank you for this great video kenji !
this looks super good. I'd put a little Kewpie mayo on that bun, but otherwise perfect!
For the self rising flour substitute… is that a tablespoon of baking POWDER? Or baking SODA?
Great recipe made it as a midnight snack after work ,highly recommend
Glad I stumbled upon this channel, this is great stuff!
Know this video is pretty old but is there any reason to not brine with pickle juice/yogurt mixture from the start? Would this not lead to a more tender chicken? Curious
Made this for my parents today. They loved it.
Would kefir be a good choice for this recipe instead of yogurt?
Yes
I don’t want to wash my hands Kenji is the best cook online
Nice! I love simple recipes
Hey Kenji
Suggestion for a future video : beef or salmon tartare recipe
Cheers from San Diego California
How do you prevent the flour and the buttermilk brine, in this case yoghurt and pickle juice brine, from becoming gloopy and gluey when dredging? everytime i have made fried chicken the coating hydrates too quickly. is it just the case of working quickly?
You may have already answered this, but what's the difference in brining with the pickle juice and THEN adding the buttermilk? I ask because I've done the buttermilk brine by itself for your Chicken Parm recipe (which is insanely good) and I'd love to understand any of the science behind the difference with this recipe. THANKS! You are literally my favorite.
I was searching kenji (vtuber) channel and stumbled upon this video gosh I don’t regret it at all new sub btw loved ur video 😌👌
Pickled Jalapenos and Chicken were made for each other. I would be tempted to slap on some smoked provolone cheese and maybe some Ranch dressing.
Good tip about frying in the wok J.K. Haha, I feel so stupid. It's one of those things I should of realised without someone pointing it out. Do you do 50-50 with the rice bran and peanut oil?
what is that pepper grinder?? It looks great!
I know this is an old video but hopefully youll still see this Kenji. MY question is, is there any reason why once im done frying my chicken, the crispy batter just falls off the chicken? I took my chicken out the oil and the crispyness just slid right off and I was so heartbroken. Any advice would be appreciated!
Kenji, you are the GOAT!
we miss the late night cooking videos!!
These feel the same to me! Only difference is his commentary, right?
i think it was 23:30 on his smart watch, so actually still kinda late night 😄
I’m extremely curious to learn more about oil. The health pros/cons and what to look for in the store. It’s easy to assume the more I pay the better it is for me but I feel like I’ve had a hard time learning the facts. Do you have any suggestions for where to start?
Great stuff! Thanks. Have you considered olive brine?