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I'm trying to make chicken wings. As I want it to be extra crispy, I'm looking to use baking powder in my flour/starch breading. However, every recipe I see that uses baking powder has it in a batter. Does baking powder need to be in a liquid in order to form the air bubbles? Or will that occur in the fryer anyway if I just use a breading (flour, starch, baking powder)?

CookingNewbie
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  • Not really an answer to your question but I find the best way to get an extra crispy texture is to use a batter. The next crispiest option (and my preferred) is to dredge in the coating, dip in eggwash, then dredge in the coating again. If you want crispness without the thick coating then Korean style fried chicken is great as it crisps the skin wonderfully without any coating at all. – user1801105 Dec 30 '13 at 09:52

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When I add a bit of baking powder to the flour breading I use for eggplant, the fried result is a little puffier than without. Frying forces water out of the eggplant into the breading. That along w heat sets off the production of CO2. The same should happen with your chicken breading.

Wayfaring Stranger
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  • Are you sure that only heat is needed for the production of CO2? Doesn't this need to be in a batter? – CookingNewbie Dec 30 '13 at 04:40
  • Perhaps the eggplant has water that the baking powder can use? – CookingNewbie Dec 30 '13 at 05:19
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    Sodium bicarbonate will release CO2 when heated dry (http://chemistry.about.com/od/makechemicalsyourself/a/Sodium-Carbonate-From-Baking-Soda.htm), but as I mentioned, frying will drive water out of the eggplant/chicken and through the breading, where it will activate baking powder. – Wayfaring Stranger Dec 30 '13 at 06:27