Forget The Messy Deep Fryer — Fried Chicken Is 10X Easier With This Pan

Making fried chicken at home is a lot easier than you may think — and it can be even less intimidating if you're using the right pan. Deep frying can be anxiety inducing for home cooks who think they need a purpose-made deep fryer or wonder if the risk of burning or splattering will be worth it. Neither of those things are really true, but your normal pots and pans aren't always ideal. Stock pots are often too shallow, with high, straight sides that make it difficult to handle the frying. But all those worries can melt away if you have a wok.

That's right, woks have tons of uses beyond the stir-frying they're often associated with. In Chinese and Japanese cuisine, they are commonly used for deep frying things like chicken. The signature flared sides are the key to a wok's frying advantages. Even though they slope away from the oil, the wide bowl shape is actually better at catching bits of spattered debris from deep frying, making cleanup easier and burning less likely.

But the upsides of frying chicken in a wok go beyond splatter and cleanup. The wide top makes it easier to fit more chicken in your frying oil at once, not to mention more accessible for moving around or fishing out pieces with your spider strainer. Plus, the bowl shape requires less oil for the same amount of surface area. Finally, a wok's thin metal is quite reactive to heat. It will heat up and cool down your oil much more quickly, giving you superior temperature control to prevent burning.

Since most of the advantages for deep frying in a wok come from the shape, making your favorite fried chicken recipes won't require any adjustments. Just remember that any time you are deep frying, it's important to have a digital thermometer in your kitchen. Set it up nearby with a cooling rack over a baking sheet so that you can move your fried chicken over once it's done.

There are just a few wok-specific precautions you'll need to take while frying your chicken. First, don't fill up your wok more than 50% of the way with oil. Even with the sloped sides, this is pushing into the territory where splatters and spills are possible. Remember, the chicken will displace a lot of oil and raise the level while you're cooking.

Temperature control is also important. The smaller amount of oil will mean temperature swings can be quicker and more dramatic. When the chicken is first added, the temp will drop more than you are used, so start a little higher than you normally would and don't overcrowd the pan. Lastly, use a heat-proof utensil like a spider strainer or even chopsticks to move the chicken as it fries, making sure it gets even exposure to the heat. It takes a little adjustment, but once you learn the wok, it will become your go-to fried chicken pan.