For the Chicken
- 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (or drumsticks)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
For the Crispy Dredge
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
For the Egg Wash
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tbsp buttermilk or regular milk
For Frying
- 3 –4 cups neutral oil vegetable, canola, or peanut
⚡ Key Takeaways Before We Start
- Cornstarch (not just flour) is the #1 secret behind an ultra-crispy crust
- You always dip in egg after the first flour coat — the order matters enormously
- Baking powder in your dredge creates microscopic bubbles that add serious crunch
- Oil temperature is everything — too low and you get grease, too high and you get char
- Oven crispy chicken is possible, but needs a specific technique to get truly crunchy skin
