4 Ways To Save Bland Fried Chicken (And Make It Taste Amazing)

Fried chicken is one of those foods that people love to make and eat.

It’s easy to do but can also be easy to screw up.

If you find your fried chicken tasteless and boring, don’t throw them away.

You will be thankful for the following tips in this blog post.

What is fried chicken?

Fried chicken is a dish that has stood the test of time.

The history of fried chicken goes back hundreds of years, with many different variations on how this classic dish should be prepared.

It is a chicken pieces floured or battered dish then deep-fried in oil.

Fried chicken is a popular food in many countries, particularly in the southern United States and Africa.

Fried chicken can be served as a main course, side dish, or even appetizer, and it may also be part of a buffet or other casual meals.

Fried chicken is not healthy in the long term because it increases your risk of heart disease and diabetes; however, there are ways to make it healthier if you eat it occasionally.

For example, using boneless skinless chicken breasts is a good way to cut down some calories and fat from dark meat like chicken thighs, and you can also air-fry them instead of deep-frying.

Common mistakes when frying chicken?

If you are a beginner at frying chicken, the following mistakes commonly happen while making this dish:

Skip the brine

The brine is a salt and water solution, which helps to keep the chicken moist and adds flavor.

Brining works by replacing some of the moisture that would have been lost when cooking with a dryer method (like frying), so it’s essential to make sure there’s enough liquid in your brine for this process to work correctly.

If your chicken is not brined before frying, it is likely to be drier and tougher than those that have.

Not patting it dry

If you wash your chicken or brine, you should ensure the meat is patted dry carefully before frying it.

If moisture is locked inside the chicken piece, the resulting dish will be soggy, and the frying process will be a mess.

Forget the breading

The breading is important because it creates a more beautiful color and crispier coat for the chicken.

You can use crumbs or even cornflakes as your breading base.

No matter how you make the breading or batter, it is better than nothing.

Underseasoned or overseasoned breading

Seasoning your chicken might be necessary for other recipes, but when it comes to frying chicken with a breading, flavoring the batter is essential too.

Too much seasoning can overpower the meat, so add enough to ensure it tastes good without distracting from its natural flavor.

You should also remember that all spices are not created equal: some go better with certain types of meats (think saltier flavors like paprika or cayenne pepper).

Chicken breasts need more seasoning than thighs or legs because they have less fat content; consider using more herbs and spices instead of salt for this reason as well.

Cooking it wrong (temperature, time, or choosing the wrong type of fat)

Most people make the mistake of cooking chicken at too high a temperature, which results in tough and dry meat, or can even burn the outside while the interior is uncooked.

The ideal frying temperature for chicken is 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

It’s also important to monitor your oil as it heats up; if you’re using an animal-based fat like lard or tallow, pay attention so that it has a lower burning point than vegan-based oil.

Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn your delicious cut of meat.

Why is my fried chicken flavorless?

If your fried chicken is bland, this is probably because of the lack of seasonings, either in the chicken or in the breading:

Not brine or marinate the chicken before frying

If you’re wondering why your fried chicken is bland, it’s probably because you didn’t brine or marinate the chicken before frying it.

Brining and marinating are two ways to add flavor, moisture, and tenderness to meat before cooking.

Brining is the process of soaking meat in a saltwater solution for at least an hour before cooking, and it draws moisture into the meat and adds flavor.

All you need to do is prepare a bowl or a pot of simple brine solution and submerge the chicken.

Marinating is another method that can be done with a flavorful liquid like soy sauce or wine or a dry rub mixture.

Not season the breading

Seasoning the breading is important because it adds flavor to your chicken via the coat.

You can try flavoring the batter if you don’t season the chicken.

If you forget both steps, then your chicken will lack flavor.

How to fix bland fried chicken?

So once you have done frying chicken and it tastes flat? How do you fix it? You cannot season and fry it again.

Sprinkle some powdered seasonings

One of the most popular ways is to sprinkle powdered seasonings on the chicken before serving.

You can try it with garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cheese powder, or some finely ground salt.

It is like adding flavor to French fries; both work the same way.

Top it with a flavorful sauce

If you want something more flavorful but moister, you can top your fried chicken with a sauce.

You can go basic with a honey-balsamic glaze or a more complex combination like maple syrup and buttermilk.

Try paprika-spiced honey mustard or chipotle ranch dressing if you’d rather skip the glaze and make something spicy.

You can add flavor by topping your chicken with a savory sauce like garlic butter or chimichurri dressing.

There are countless options to choose from.

Serve it with a dipping sauce

A simple dipping sauce to serve with fried chicken can be another effective way.

Every bite of chicken is coated with a flavorful liquid.

A simple dipping sauce can be as easy as combining ketchup and chili sauce or adding some honey to an Asian-style dressing.

A dipping sauce can be made from scratch or bought from any grocery store, so just stick with the flavor you crave.

Use it in other recipes

There are numerous ways to salvage bland fried chicken.

You can use it in other recipes by simmering chicken in a creamy, delicious sauce per your taste buds, trying to make a sandwich with the meat, or tossing it into a salad.

If you have leftover gravy, spread that over your meat when preparing these dishes.

Or fry some eggs on top of some slices of chicken for an easy breakfast dish!

Conclusion

Whether you want to make your chicken more flavorful or use it to make other dishes, we hope our tips on fixing bland fried chicken have been helpful.

If you still haven’t found a solution, don’t worry!

We’ll keep looking until we find something that works for everyone.