Chile Fried Chicken
By Bryan RoofPublished on October 29, 2024
Time
1½ hours, plus 4 hours marinating
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Marinade and Chicken
1 cup buttermilk ¾ cup (3¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon five-spice powder 1 tablespoon onion powder 1 tablespoon granulated garlic 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half crosswise, drumsticks, thighs, and/or wings), trimmed2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for fryingChile Oil
2½ ounces dried Tianjin chiles ½ cup Sichuan peppercorns ¼ cup vinegar powder2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons monosodium glutamate 1 cup duck fat 1 cup peanut or vegetable oilCoating
2¼ cups (11¼ ounces/319 grams) all-purpose flour 1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) potato starch 1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) cornstarch 2 tablespoons kosher salt 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon monosodium glutamateBefore You Begin
This recipe is adjusted for home kitchens based on the recipe chef/owner Eric Huang uses at his restaurant Pecking House in Brooklyn, New York. For the most successful results, we suggest you use the weights provided for the coating ingredients. You can find Tianjin chiles in some Asian markets or online. You can substitute ¼ cup of cider vinegar for the powdered vinegar, but your chicken will not remain as crisp for as long.
Instructions
- Whisk buttermilk, flour, mustard, salt, five-spice powder, onion powder, and granulated garlic in large bowl until smooth. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread Tianjin chiles and Sichuan peppercorns on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Set aside and let cool completely.
- Combine cooled Tianjin chiles and Sichuan peppercorns in blender jar. Process on medium speed until coarsely ground, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue to process to fine powder, about 1 minute longer. Without removing blender lid, let sit until chile dust settles, about 5 minutes; transfer chile mixture to bowl.
- Whisk vinegar powder, sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate into chile mixture until combined. Melt duck fat in medium saucepan over medium heat. Off heat, whisk oil and chile mixture into duck fat; set aside.
- Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures 1½ inches deep. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 325 degrees. Working with half of chicken, dredge in flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Lightly shake off excess flour mixture and add chicken to hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until chicken registers 155 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees. Transfer chicken to prepared rack. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat dredging and frying with remaining chicken and flour mixture.
- Return oil to 325 degrees and return first batch of chicken to oil. Fry until dark meat registers 175 degrees and white meat registers 160 degrees, 2 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to rack. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat frying with remaining chicken.
- Whisk chile oil to recombine, then gently warm over medium-low heat, about 2 minutes; remove from heat. Working with 1 piece at a time, dunk chicken pieces in chile oil, turning to coat completely, then transfer to platter. Serve.
for the marinade and chicken
for the chile oil
for the coating
Time
1½ hours, plus 4 hours marinatingYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
Marinade and Chicken
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup (3¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half crosswise, drumsticks, thighs, and/or wings), trimmed
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Chile Oil
2½ ounces dried Tianjin chiles
½ cup Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup vinegar powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons monosodium glutamate
1 cup duck fat
1 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Coating
2¼ cups (11¼ ounces/319 grams) all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) potato starch
1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) cornstarch
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Marinade and Chicken
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup (3¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half crosswise, drumsticks, thighs, and/or wings), trimmed
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Chile Oil
2½ ounces dried Tianjin chiles
½ cup Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup vinegar powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons monosodium glutamate
1 cup duck fat
1 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Coating
2¼ cups (11¼ ounces/319 grams) all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) potato starch
1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) cornstarch
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Marinade and Chicken
1 cup buttermilk
¾ cup (3¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon five-spice powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (split breasts cut in half crosswise, drumsticks, thighs, and/or wings), trimmed
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Chile Oil
2½ ounces dried Tianjin chiles
½ cup Sichuan peppercorns
¼ cup vinegar powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons monosodium glutamate
1 cup duck fat
1 cup peanut or vegetable oil
Coating
2¼ cups (11¼ ounces/319 grams) all-purpose flour
1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) potato starch
1⅓ cups (5⅓ ounces/151 grams) cornstarch
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon monosodium glutamate
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This recipe is a scaled-down adaptation of Eric Huang’s signature fried chicken (served at his restaurant Pecking House in Brooklyn, New York), designed to bring his bold flavor and lasting crunch into the home kitchen with smart layering. A thick buttermilk marinade seasoned with spices and mustard infuses the chicken and helps the coating stick. A blend of flour, potato starch, and cornstarch creates a crisp, craggy crust, while two-stage frying ensures juicy meat and a sturdy exterior. The real standout is the chile oil: toasted Tianjin chiles, Sichuan peppercorns, and vinegar powder mixed into rich duck fat add heat, tang, and umami without softening the crust—delivering restaurant-quality fried chicken at home.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
This recipe is adjusted for home kitchens based on the recipe chef/owner Eric Huang uses at his restaurant Pecking House in Brooklyn, New York. For the most successful results, we suggest you use the weights provided for the coating ingredients. You can find Tianjin chiles in some Asian markets or online. You can substitute ¼ cup of cider vinegar for the powdered vinegar, but your chicken will not remain as crisp for as long.
Instructions
- Whisk buttermilk, flour, mustard, salt, five-spice powder, onion powder, and granulated garlic in large bowl until smooth. Add chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread Tianjin chiles and Sichuan peppercorns on rimmed baking sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Set aside and let cool completely.
- Combine cooled Tianjin chiles and Sichuan peppercorns in blender jar. Process on medium speed until coarsely ground, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and continue to process to fine powder, about 1 minute longer. Without removing blender lid, let sit until chile dust settles, about 5 minutes; transfer chile mixture to bowl.
- Whisk vinegar powder, sugar, salt, and monosodium glutamate into chile mixture until combined. Melt duck fat in medium saucepan over medium heat. Off heat, whisk oil and chile mixture into duck fat; set aside.
- Whisk all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures 1½ inches deep. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 325 degrees. Working with half of chicken, dredge in flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Lightly shake off excess flour mixture and add chicken to hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until chicken registers 155 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees. Transfer chicken to prepared rack. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat dredging and frying with remaining chicken and flour mixture.
- Return oil to 325 degrees and return first batch of chicken to oil. Fry until dark meat registers 175 degrees and white meat registers 160 degrees, 2 to 5 minutes. Return chicken to rack. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat frying with remaining chicken.
- Whisk chile oil to recombine, then gently warm over medium-low heat, about 2 minutes; remove from heat. Working with 1 piece at a time, dunk chicken pieces in chile oil, turning to coat completely, then transfer to platter. Serve.
for the marinade and chicken
for the chile oil
for the coating
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