Dredging and breading chicken is a simple way to make plain chicken golden brown and crispy. All you need are a few common items from your pantry and fridge.
If you’ve looked at recipes online or in cookbooks, you may have seen the word “dredge” used to describe how to cook chicken. If you cook at home, you may be wondering what it means to “dredge” chicken. Well, I’ll explain it all to you in this guide.
A Quick Definition of Dredging Chicken
To dredge chicken simply means to coat or cover pieces of raw chicken with a dry ingredient before cooking. The most common ingredients used for dredging are flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, or a combination of these.
Dredging is usually done right before cooking the chicken, whether pan-frying, baking, or deep frying. It creates a light, crispy coating on the outside of the chicken while keeping the interior moist and tender.
So in a nutshell, dredging chicken is a technique that adds texture and flavor to chicken while preparing it for cooking through various methods It’s a simple process, but an important one to get right!
Why Bother Dredging Chicken in the First Place?
You may be wondering why you need to dredge chicken instead of simply cooking it as is. Well, dredging provides some major benefits that can really elevate your chicken dishes! Here are 4 key reasons to use this technique:
1. Creates a Crispy, Flavorful Crust
The dredging mixture, especially if its seasoned, forms a lovely golden, crunchy coating on the exterior of the chicken as it cooks. This adds delicious texture and flavor that you just don’t get with plain chicken.
2. Seals in Moisture
The dredging creates a protective barrier that prevents the chicken’s natural juices from escaping as it cooks. No more dry, overcooked chicken!
3. Promotes Browning
The dredging ingredients promote browning through a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction. This results in a beautiful, appetizing color on the chicken.
4. Allows Chicken to Cook Evenly
The dredging coats the chicken evenly so it cooks at an even pace. No more undercooked spots!
How to Properly Dredge Chicken
Now that you know why it’s done, let’s get into the proper technique for dredging chicken. Follow these simple steps:
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Pat the raw chicken dry with paper towels. You want it as dry as possible.
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Place flour, cornstarch, breadcrumbs, or other dredging ingredient into a shallow bowl or dish. Season it well with salt, pepper, spices, and herbs if desired.
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Toss or roll the chicken pieces in the dredging mixture until evenly coated on all sides.
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Shake off any excess coating and place chicken on a clean plate or baking sheet.
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Cook the chicken as directed in your recipe, whether frying, baking, etc. The dredging helps the chicken cook up crispy and delicious!
That’s all there is to it! With just a few extra minutes of work, you can make your chicken taste and feel much better.
Variations for Dredging Chicken
There are a few handy variations on this basic dredging method to experiment with:
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Double dredge – Dredge in flour, then dip in egg wash, then dredge again in flour. Gives extra thick, crunchy coating.
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Breading – Dredge in flour, dip in egg wash, then coat with breadcrumbs. More substantial crust.
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Seasoned dredge: Add garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, herbs, or other spices to the flour or other dredging ingredient to make it taste better.
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Cornstarch dredge: For a really crispy result, use cornstarch instead of flour. Can also do half cornstarch, half flour.
Don’t be afraid to get creative and come up with your own signature mixtures!
Helpful Tips for Dredging Success
To become a dredging pro, keep these handy tips in mind:
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Use one hand for dry ingredients and one for wet to avoid clumping.
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Work in small batches to prevent coating from thickening.
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Pat chicken very dry before dredging so coating sticks.
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Allow excess coating to fall off before cooking chicken.
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Cook chicken soon after dredging to prevent sogginess
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Store dredged chicken in fridge for no more than 2 hours before cooking.
It may take some trial and error, but once you get the basic technique down, dredging chicken will be a breeze!
Why Dredging Creates the Best Fried Chicken
Fried chicken is one of the most popular foods to dredge, and for good reason! Dredging seals in juices and gives the crispiest, craggiest coating possible when chicken is fried, whether deep fried or pan fried. The flour forms a thin layer that perfectly adheres to the chicken skin, transforming it into a scrumptious, golden brown crust.
No great batch of fried chicken is complete without dredging in flour or a seasoned flour mixture. Don’t be afraid to also experiment with dredging in cornstarch, breadcrumbs, cracker meal, or cornmeal for different textures. Just be sure to pat the chicken dry before dredging so the coating sticks. Follow up by frying until golden and cooked through, and you’ve got perfect fried chicken every time.
So the next time a fried chicken craving strikes, remember – dredging is your secret weapon for the crispiest, most mouthwatering fried chicken ever!
Alternative Uses for the Dredging Technique
Besides chicken, dredging can also be used to coat other proteins and foods before cooking:
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Fish fillets or steaks – Creates a deliciously crisp crust
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Pork chops or pork cutlets – Seals in moisture
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Bacon-wrapped appetizers – Helps adhere the bacon
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Fried shrimp or calamari – Adds crunch
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Fried vegetables like zucchini – Provides texture
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Onion rings – Gives an even, crispy coating
So don’t reserve dredging just for chicken – it’s a versatile technique that can improve all kinds of recipes. Get creative with the foods you dredge for delicious results!
Frequently Asked Questions About Dredging Chicken
If you’re still a bit confused about this handy cooking method, here are answers to some common dredging questions:
What’s the best flour to use for dredging chicken?
Plain all-purpose flour is the most popular option. However, you can also use cornflour, wheat flour, chickpea flour, etc.
Should the dredging flour be seasoned?
Absolutely! Salt, pepper, spices, and herbs are great additions to the flour for extra flavor.
Does the chicken need to be wet before dredging?
No, the chicken should be as dry as possible before dredging for the coating to stick well.
Can you dredge chicken ahead of time?
It’s best to dredge chicken right before cooking. If needed, you can dredge and refrigerate up to 2 hours in advance.
How long do you dredge for?
Just long enough to coat the chicken evenly – usually about 30 seconds to 1 minute per piece.
What’s the difference between dredging and breading?
Dredging uses dry flour or crumbs only. Breadings includes a wet dip (egg/milk) between the dry coatings.
Should you dredge when baking chicken?
Yes, dredging before baking helps the chicken brown and cook evenly. Just reduce oil/butter since it’s not frying.
The Takeaway on Dredging Chicken
There you have it – everything you need to know about this simple yet effective cooking technique. Dredging may seem like an unnecessary extra step, but it delivers big rewards in terms of flavor, texture, and moisture. Once you try it, you’ll never make chicken the same way again.
What you will need
Here’s what you’ll need from your pantry, fridge, and kitchen!
- Bowls or trays to hold the ingredients. Some of my bowls work fine, but you can also get these trays that are made just for breading meats!
- Use tongs to hold the meat as you move it from one bowl to another. This will keep things cleaner.
- All purpose flour
- Salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I really think you should season the flour!)
- Egg
- Whole milk, half & half, or light cream
- Plain or seasoned breadcrumbs
Step 1: Butterfly the chicken
Butterflying chicken is the process where you slice the meat all the way through, as if you’re opening a book. You can leave the piece of chicken whole if you want a really big piece, or I like to finish the slice to make two pieces of chicken.
After you have your sliced chicken, use a meat tenderizer to pound it out to an even thickness.
I’ve also created this tutorial with a few more instructions on how to butterfly a chicken breast.