The One Fried Chicken Prep Step That Should Be Done Twice

Homemade fried chicken is such a treat, and it's often worlds better than what you get at the KFC or even Popeye's drive-through. You have total control over what pieces you use (don't like drumsticks or the breast? No one's forcing you to use them!), whether or not you brine or marinate beforehand, the seasoning in the breading, and how deep and dark you want the chicken fried. But if your fried chicken has come out less than crispy in the past, it could be because you skipped this important step.

Dredging your chicken — that's the part of the process where you coat flour on each piece — once is a good start, but dredging it twice ensures that the hot oil has an ultra-thick layer of what is essentially batter to turn into a super-crunchy outer shell. To start with, you'll mix up your flour with whatever seasonings float your boat, start with a base coating of flour, then dip in a beaten egg, then back in the flour, then into the egg again, then finish it off with another layer of flour. Make sure you get both egg and flour into whatever nooks and crannies there might be on your pieces of chicken.

Double-dredging your chicken is a good start for getting that superbly crunchy skin that crackles with every bite, but if you have the time and patience for it, double-frying will really take your chicken to the next level. After giving your chicken a bath in the hot cooking oil of your choice — ideally with the temperature set to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can monitor with a thermometer like this one from KT THERMO — let the pieces rest for a few minutes on a wire rack.

Then, kick up the heat on the oil so that it hits 350 degrees Fahrenheit, fry the chicken a second time (keep a close eye on it for signs of burning before time is up), and place back on the wire rack to cool. You're going to end up with the most crunchy fried chicken, thanks to the second fry, which effectively removes most, if not all, of the moisture inside the skin. And if you're looking to reheat your leftovers the next day, while recapturing the crispiness of freshly fried chicken, the air fryer is going to be the best place to do it.