Technique & guide
Choosing Chicken Cuts for Frying
Different chicken cuts cook at different rates and produce different crust-to-meat ratios. Matching similarly sized pieces in a batch makes cooking easier to control.
Food-safety note: Keep raw chicken separate from ready-to-eat foods, marinate under refrigeration, and cook poultry to at least 165°F / 73.9°C as measured with a food thermometer. Hot-oil frying requires careful adult handling and suitable equipment.
Bone-in thighs and drumsticks
Dark meat is flavorful and forgiving, but bone-in pieces are thicker and take longer than wings or tenders.
Wings
Wings offer lots of surface area for crisp coating and cook relatively quickly.
Breast cutlets and tenders
Thinner boneless pieces are ideal for sandwiches, pan frying and faster meals, but can dry out if overcooked.