Best Magic Crispy Chicken Recipes

MAGIC CRISPY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 450°F. Whisk egg yolk, 3 Tbsp. mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp. mustard, 1 1/2 tsp. Diamond Crystal or 3/4 tsp. Morton salt, and several cranks of black pepper in a large bowl until smooth. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. With your knife parallel to the cutting board, slice breast into 1/2"-thick cutlets (if you end up with smaller breasts, you may not need to slice them). Place in bowl and turn with tongs to evenly coat. Set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium. Add a pinch of panko. If tiny bubbles appear instantly, you're good to go. Add remaining panko and cook, stirring, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Let panko cool in pan about 5 minutes.
• Set chicken next to panko and place a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet nearby. Using tongs, place a piece of chicken in panko and pat all over with panko, pressing firmly to adhere. Lightly shake off excess and place chicken on rack. Repeat with remaining chicken, spacing evenly apart on rack. Discard any remaining panko.
• Bake chicken until cooked through and breadcrumbs are deep golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Stir honey, cayenne, and remaining 1/4 cup mayonnaise and 1/4 cup mustard in a small bowl; season with black pepper. Add chives to sauce.
• Serve chicken with sauce alongside for dipping.

MAGIC CRISPY CHICKEN

Steps:

• Position a rack in center of oven; preheat to 450°. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. Place chicken on rack, then pat dry with paper towels.
• Whisk egg yolk, 1 1/2 Tbsp. mayo, 1/2 Tbsp. mustard, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Add several cranks of black pepper and whisk until smooth.
• Add chicken to bowl and turn pieces several times with tongs until evenly coated; set aside.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium. After about a minute, test oil to see if it's hot enough by adding a pinch of panko. If tiny bubbles appear instantly around each bit of panko, you're good to go.
• Add remaining panko and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until crumbs are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Make sure to get around the edges and incorporate darker crumbs that form at the perimeter.
• Remove skillet from heat and let cool several minutes. Place skillet on work surface next to bowl of chicken and wire rack.
• Using tongs, take one piece of chicken at a time and place in skillet. Using one hand, pat surrounding toasted panko over top of thigh, pressing firmly to adhere. Turn chicken and repeat on other side with more crumbs.
• Lightly shake off excess crumbs. Transfer chicken to wire rack.Repeat with remaining chicken pieces, transferring each to rack and spacing evenly apart. Discard any remaining panko.
• Transfer sheet to oven and bake chicken until fully cooked through, juices run clear when pierced with a knife, and breadcrumbs have gone a couple of shades past golden into deep brown territory, 10-15 minutes. Let cool.
• Stir honey, cayenne, and remaining ¼ cup mayonnaise and ¼ cup mustard in a small bowl. Season with black pepper.
• Stir chives into honey mustard sauce and serve with chicken.