Forget Breadcrumbs And Corn Flakes: Fried Chicken Is Extra Crispy When You Coat It In This Flavorful Topping

Preparing a batch of homemade fried chicken offers plenty of opportunities to get creative with your batter and coating. While breadcrumbs are a basic choice and corn flakes add crunchy texture and savory taste, you can give your fried chicken even more flavor by using a popular casserole topping. Crush up crispy fried onions to coat your chicken for an ingredient that instantly elevates fried chicken batter.

These fried onions provide a perfect accent to your fried chicken with the addition of savory notes and an optimal crunch. Given that this ingredient is a common topping for baked dishes, it's a good idea to always have crispy fried onions in your pantry. To incorporate crispy fried onions into your favorite fried chicken recipe, simply smash them into crumbs, mix them into your batter, and use this to cover the pieces of chicken before using your preferred method to fry them.

While the one-two punch of flavor and consistency complements the fried chicken, keep in mind that there is one tricky part to using these crispy fried onions in your batter, which is the risk of burning. It's best to ensure your chicken is fully cooked through without overcooking or over-frying your onion topping. A properly fried batch of chicken opens up a myriad of possibilities for accompanying side dishes, dips, and other accompaniments.

In addition to using a crispy fried onion topping in your fried chicken batter, consider the many ingredients you can use to make chicken breading stick, which include options such as mustard, hoisin sauce, buttermilk, and more. When selecting a binder for your fried chicken batter, keep the flavors of your onion crumbs in mind to inform your choice. For example, try a hearty batch of onion dip as your binder in place of the standard beaten eggs to give your fried chicken even more of an onion-forward profile. If you're frying chicken tenders, this would also make an excellent condiment to complement the cooked pieces.

Further, try turning up the heat on a classic buttermilk fried chicken recipe by incorporating both crispy fried onions into the batter as well as spicy seasonings like paprika or crushed red chilies. Mix hot sauce into your ketchup to use as a dip for this spicy onion fried chicken. Temper the heat of your tenders with a topping of sour cream or melted cheese.

Serve these alongside a batch of fries or potato chips. Give your meal even more onion-based goodness with a side of thick-cut onion rings. A side of mixed tempura vegetables will also provide a pleasant accompaniment, bearing a familiar taste and texture. However you choose to prepare this meal, it's sure to be teeming with satisfying savory flavor.