How to Fix Undercooked Fried Chicken? 5 Methods
Fried chicken is my number one way to prepare chicken meat. Although it doesn’t take up too much time, you still need some patience and skill to cook it thoroughly. Undercooked fried chicken can spoil your mood and ruin your appetite, and it’s not exactly ready to eat. So, how to fix undercooked fried chicken?
Slice undercooked chicken into thin pieces and return it to the fryer or pan to refry them. You can also bake them in the oven to finish cooking, debone them, and stir fry them. Another method is to use a heating appliance such as a toaster or a waffle maker.
Crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside, it is a true delicacy made in a jiffy. However, if it is undercooked, it is not only rigid and lacking in flavor but also dangerous to eat. In the following paragraphs, I will explain how to fix undercooked fried chicken and why it happens.
Why Is Your Fried Chicken Raw in the Middle?
Fried chicken can turn out raw for several reasons. You may want to have it as soon as possible, and you didn’t give it enough time. You may also cut the chicken too thick before frying it. Another reason why your fried chicken turns out raw is that you fried it at a too high temperature, causing the outside to over-fry while leaving the middle raw.
It is also possible that you coated it with a too-thick layer of crumbs that prevents the hot oil from penetrating the chicken and frying it thoroughly. Whichever the specific case is, the general reason why your fried chicken turned out raw in the middle is that the middle is too far from the heat.
So, to prevent this from happening, the sooner you want to eat the chicken, the thinner you need to slice it. In the case of fried chicken drums or chicken wings, it is always a good idea to deep-fry them instead of shallow-frying them. Make sure the oil is hot and allow them enough time to cook.
If you layer them with crumbs or cornflakes, make sure the layer isn’t too thick. The crumbs will burn while leaving the chicken raw in the middle.
Here are five tips for the most perfect crispy fried chicken — no uncooked chicken allowed!
How to Fully Cook Undercooked Fried Chicken?
When it comes to fried chicken, undercooked is a far better option than overcooked. While you cannot quickly soften and fix overcooked chicken, there are a few things you can do to fix your undercooked fried chicken.
Deep Fry
The most obvious solution to fix undercooked fried chicken is to deep fry it again. However, this method depends on the meat in question, and it works best when dealing with chicken drums or chicken wings.
Whenever I notice that my chicken isn’t fully cooked, I simply pop it back into the hot oil and let it finish frying. This should take more than five minutes at the most.
Shallow Fry
In the case of undercooked chicken nuggets or chicken breast, the best way to fix them is to shallow fry them. It is a simple procedure where you put oil into a non-stick pan or a skillet and let them fry for several minutes. This way, your fried chicken will cook thoroughly without burning.
Still, I wouldn’t apply this method to chicken wings or chicken drums. These are best cooked when deep-fried, as their shape is unsuitable for shallow frying on the stove.
Slice It Thinner
If your chicken breast turns out raw in the middle, it is probably because the slices are too thick and you didn’t allow them enough time to cook. Throwing the meat back into the hot oil won’t do you much good unless you cut it into thinner slices.
If you don’t care about the shape, you can cut your chicken into pieces and turn it into nuggets. This way, it will fry thoroughly, with a crispy exterior and a soft and juicy interior.
Debone and Stir-Fry
It can sometimes happen that I throw the oil out before trying my fried chicken drums or chicken wings, so it is already too late once I realize that they need to be deep-fried longer. Do not despair if this happens, as deboning and stir-frying are viable options.
Since your chicken meat is sometimes fried, you will have no trouble removing the bone. Once the bone is gone, cut or tear the meat into pieces and pop them in a pan with hot oil. Stir-fry for a couple of minutes and remove them from the pan.
Stir-frying will allow the undercooked parts to cook while leaving your chicken juicy and even more flavorful.
Bake/Grill
Baking or grilling undercooked fried chicken is my favorite solution to cooking it thoroughly. No matter the type of chicken in question, both methods work great. If you want to bake your fried chicken, make sure you pre-heat the oven and pop the meat on a parchment paper-layered baking tray.
I usually just let the meat cook for no longer than five minutes and let it cool uncovered on the counter.
If you use the grill, debone the drums or wings and pop them on the grill. If you grill chicken breast, you may want to slice it into thinner pieces. Let the meat grill for a few minutes on each side, and you are done.
Use an Appliance
Appliances such as an air fryer, toaster oven, or waffle maker also do a great job of fixing undercooked fried chicken. However, avoid the microwave as it will make your fried chicken overly moist, which is not what you want in this case.
If you use the toaster oven or the air fryer, ensure you adequately cover the tray with parchment paper and spray some cooking oil on it. Don’t leave the fried chicken in the toaster oven or air fryer for more than five minutes, as they will likely become overcooked.
If you use the waffle maker for a fried chicken breast, ensure it is thin enough and spay the plates to avoid sticking. Don’t press the top plate, but gently let it fall on its own.
If you want to use the waffle maker for chicken drums or wings, debone the meat and place it on the bottom plate. You should also avoid pressing and let the waffle maker press independently.
Don’t cook your fried chicken in the waffle maker for over five minutes.
I would love to hear your thoughts about this piece in the comments below!
