For many fast food connoisseurs, nothing beats the savory flavor and perfectly crisp texture of Chick-fil-A chicken. Considering Chick-fil-A’s most ordered items include its crispy waffle fries and classic chicken sandwich, the popular chain doesn’t need to woo its customers with highly specialized meals.
Given the fact that Chick-fil-A’s Original Chicken Sandwich received the No. 1 spot in Chowhound’s concise list of ranked fast food chicken sandwiches, it’s no surprise that fans have speculated over the ingredients and process behind the company’s elusive recipe. Over the years, countless recipe developers have created their own versions of Chick-fil-A’s chicken, and surprisingly, many swear by the addition of powdered sugar.
Chick-fil-A nuggets not only have the perfect amount of salt, but if you’ve eaten these flavorful morsels more than once, you’ve also probably detected a faint sweetness in every bite. Next to dousing your at-home bites in a tangy buttermilk base, many at-home recipes include a dredging mixture that contains flour, salt, paprika, and a few spoonfuls of powdered sugar. With its fine texture, it’s easily incorporated into flour and helps give your copycat recipe an extra crispy bite.
Additionally, since powdered sugar is simply sugar that’s been ground extra fine and oftentimes, includes a small amount of cornstarch to keep it clump-free, this ingredient may help your chicken create a more noticeable golden brown crust. That being said, while many swear by using confectioner’s sugar in their copycat recipes, does the official ingredient list for Chick-fil-A’s chicken actually include this powdery substance?
Read more: The Definitive Ranking Of Fast Food Chicken Nuggets And Tenders
There Are Many Reasons Why Chick-Fil-A’s Chicken Is So Tasty
Chick-fil-A chicken sandwich, chicken nuggets, and an open container of sauce – The Image Party/Shutterstock
Included in the list of ingredients for Chick-fil-A Nuggets, you’ll find flour, non-fat dry milk, leavening agents, salt, spices, MSG (a spice that deserves a spot in your seasoning cabinet), and sugar. So, while sugar does, indeed, play a role in the fast food restaurant’s chicken recipe, powdered (or confectioner’s) sugar is not specifically listed, and there are plenty other ingredients that provide a wealth of flavor.
Nevertheless, for most at-home chefs, part of creating a delicious copycat recipe from Chick-fil-A involves trying different ingredients and preparation methods to see what works and what doesn’t. For example, whether or not Chick-fil-A uses pickle juice in its chicken batter remains somewhat of a mystery (with multiple sources leaning toward “no”), yet this doesn’t stop many at-home cooks from using pickle juice in their own recipes. That being said, Chick-fil-A does appear to soak its signature chicken in a salt and sugar brine before cooking.
Next to the chain’s signature blend of ingredients and spices, the company’s special cooking method also sets its revered chicken recipe apart from most at-home variations. Instead of using deep fryers, Chick-fil-A cooks its chicken with pressure fryers from the Henny Penny company. Essentially, pressure fryers are similar to deep fryers, but they feature a sealed lid, allowing for shorter cooking times while keeping foods like chicken perfectly moist from start to finish. Since most of Chick-fil-A’s preparation process and recipe details are hidden from customers, in order to produce delicious copycat Chick-fil-A chicken at home, powdered sugar may be an essential ingredient worth trying.
Read the original article on Chowhound.
