Fried chicken has nearly endless techniques and ingredients to upgrade it, from the way the dish is done down south in states like Virginia to how it’s cooked over in Korea. Chances are, your closest foodie friend or local chicken joint even has a special frying technique or secret ingredient to elevate the crunchy dish. But to take inspiration from a variation of Korean fried chicken, there’s an ingredient that will give it a cheesy, flavorful twist: cheese powder.
Cheese powder is that ingredient that you likely reserve for popcorn on movie night or dishes like instant macaroni and cheese, but it can add the same flavor to a batch of fried chicken. The powdered ingredient is made from dehydrated cheese and tastes similar to the block or bag in your fridge, but there are flavor variations. Cheddar cheese powder is a common option, but you can find other types infused with flavors like truffle or made with other varieties like parmesan. You can elevate the fried chicken with any of these flavors in either the breading that you dredge it in before frying, or as a seasoning after it comes out of the piping-hot oil.
How to amp up your fried chicken with cheese powder
Add cheese powder to any fried chicken recipe, and you can even sprinkle it on top of the dish from your favorite fried chicken chain. For those who don’t already have a go-to recipe, try our classic buttermilk fried chicken recipe or this chicken tenders recipe if you prefer boneless. Either way, add the cheese powder into the flour or breadcrumbs that you dredge the chicken in. It should only take around ¾ cup of cheese powder for every 4 pounds of chicken. Mix it into the flour mixture along with other spices like garlic powder or cayenne pepper for heat. The other technique is to sprinkle the cheese powder on the fried chicken after it’s cooked and drained — and don’t forget to toss it well to evenly coat each piece.
To add even more cheese essence to the fried chicken, opt for finely-grated cheese in the flour mixture instead of the dehydrated powder. For this technique, make sure the chicken is grated small enough that there are no chunks or shreds of cheese in the batter. Fried chicken is never complete without a dipping sauce, so add some of that cheese powder to ranch dressing or ketchup. And if a fried chicken sandwich is your preference, top the fried chicken with a slice of cheese for more flavor. For more help, here are our top secrets to make the best fried chicken you’ve tasted.
