The Absolute Best Flour To Use For Fried Chicken, According To A Chef

Many home cooks wonder how restaurants get buttermilk fried chicken to turn out so deliciously textured. Well, wonder no more. We've reached out to Chef Art Smith at Chicago's Reunion to get the lowdown on all things fried chicken.

The good news is that the trick to making excellent fried chicken is down to using the right ingredients in the breading — specifically, the flour. "There's nothing better than Martha White Self-Rising Flour," Smith told Tasting Table. "I'm not a promoter, I'm just Southern, and that's what I've used for every piece of chicken I've fried — whether it's for celebrities, politicians, or family."

There you have it: Self-rising flour is the key ingredient for crispy fried chicken. And while there are other brands of self-rising flour besides Smith's preferred Martha White, if you're looking to up your game you ought to give it a try. It's widely available both in grocery stores and online. Fried chicken should be simple, and using readily available ingredients is a big part of the dish's on-hand appeal. But there's one key thing to keep in mind. "Remember, don't add salt when using it," added Smith. "It's already in there."

If you aren't using the right ingredients, it won't matter how accurate your temperature is or how long you fry the chicken for — your chicken, and especially its breading, will be subpar. This is where self-rising flour comes in.  It includes baking soda and salt alongside all-purpose flour. You can theoretically make self-rising flour at home, but if you're trying to get better at fried chicken, you may want to start with Smith's suggestion of a name brand version until you're familiar with how the chicken should turn out. From there, you can begin to experiment with homemade flour ratios.

People can and do use other types of flour, but self-rising flour is better because it automatically rises and crisp up, which is definitely something we want with fried chicken. Technique is also key, though. There are plenty of secret tricks people use to make the best fried chicken out there, which you should definitely check out. But using the right flour is the first step, without which all the tricks in the world won't save you.