Instant Potato Flakes Make Chicken Fingers Tastier

I’ve been into fried chicken lately – fast food copycat fried chicken is my latest favorite. I can’t blame myself, I’m rich in chicken now and someone has to eat it. However, I need a break from deep frying, so I bake and air fry instead. That doesn’t mean I miss the great crispiness, oh no. In fact, I accidentally stumbled upon a “breading” I’d never tried before, and the result was light, crispy, and potato-y.

During a separate chicken fry last year (my beats are cyclical), I wrote about the benefits of double frying chicken and using potato starch. Potato starch has a higher starch content than flour and helps create an incredible crispy glaze. Plus, the subtle and pleasant aroma of potatoes dances in the background. One reader commented on a post asking about using potato flakes and I was curious. Why not? Of course, potato flakes make a great topping.

How to cook chicken fingers in potato glaze?

I didn’t use the flakes to double fry the chicken like I did in the karaage method mentioned in another post. Instead, I decided to start at step one and try the standard breading technique: flour to egg and egg to potato flakes.

1. Marinate the chicken and prepare the station.

I always like to brine chicken, especially if it’s white meat. Even if it’s just for half an hour, I’ll brine that bird. I use pickle juice as a ready and flavorful option, but you can use olive brine or anything salty and sour. While the chicken slices are marinating in the refrigerator, set up a breading station.

You will need three bowls: flour in one bowl, next to another bowl with raw omelette and finally a bowl of potato flakes. Season the flour and egg with salt and any powdered seasonings you like. Potato flakes aren’t really very durable because the flakes themselves are large and most powders just fall through.

Set a rack over a sheet pan to the side. You’ll use this as a place for the chicken coating to dry and harden a bit before cooking.

2. Coat the chicken

Shake off any excess marinade from the chicken and dredge it in flour. Coat all sides. Dip the chicken into the egg mixture. Shake off any excess egg and spoon it into the potato flakes. You can press the flakes onto the chicken to help them stick. Transfer the egg white piece to the rack and repeat this breading with other pieces of raw chicken.

3. Air frying

After letting the coating set for about five minutes, I used an oil sprayer to spray all sides of the chicken. Even though we’re not deep frying, a little oil enhances browning, helps conduct fryer heat, retains moisture, and binds the coating for best results. If you don’t have an oil syringe, use a pastry brush to coat the chicken with neutral vegetable oil. Sprinkle chicken with a pinch of salt.

Set the air fryer to air fry at 375°F. Place the breaded chicken in the basket and cook for about 12 minutes, turning the chicken halfway through cooking. The chicken will have slightly puffed and evenly browned skin.

The coating of potato flakes creates a layer that I’ve only seen on chicken schnitzel before. The potato and egg combine to form a sheet rather than a porous layer like breadcrumbs or panko. The leaf swells slightly from the moisture of the chicken inside and the egg. The layer is light and crisp, yet durable. The potato flavor is subtle and complements the flavor of the chicken inside, as opposed to using crushed potato chips which can fall off the chicken and dominate the flavor.

Although this recipe is for air fryer chicken fingers, you can use potato flakes as a coating for any other protein you plan to bread.

Recipe for chicken fingers in potato flakes

Ingredients:

• 6 slices chicken, marinated (approximately 1.5″ x 4″ pieces)

• ½ cup all-purpose flour

• 1 egg

• ¾ cup instant potato flakes

• 1 teaspoon salt (divided)

• Neutral oil for coating chicken

1. Place flour in a bowl. Beat the raw egg in a separate bowl. Place potato flakes on a plate. Season the flour and egg with salt. Arrange these ingredients so that they are next to each other. Set a rack over a sheet pan to the side.

2. Shake off any excess marinade from the chicken piece. Dredge it in flour and then move it into the egg mixture. Shake off any excess egg and spoon it into the potato flakes. Press the flakes onto the chicken until they adhere. Transfer the chicken to the rack and repeat the breading process with each piece.

3. Allow the coating to cure for about five minutes. Drizzle oil all over the chicken. (Alternatively, you can use a pastry brush to brush the butter onto the chicken.) If desired, you can sprinkle the chicken with a little more salt after applying the butter. Air fry them on the air fry setting for about 12 minutes at 375°F or until the coating is evenly browned and slightly puffed.

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