Everyone loooves fried chicken, right?

Whether you prefer to pair it with a side of chips, or sandwiched between tasty toasted buns, or straight up dipped in sauce, you cannot deny that the classic fried chicken dish is a restaurant and household staple.

And even though the recipes may look simple, fried chicken can actually be pretty challenging to get right. So, just how exactly do you do it?

Enter foodie Jane de Graaff to the rescue.

This week, she joined Today hosts Karl and Ally to talk about everything fried chicken, including some of her secrets in making the best fried chicken in the comfort of your own home!

According to Jane, the first step in making the best homemade fried chicken is choosing the right part for your recipe.

Since not all cuts of chicken are created equal, some parts will be more suitable for certain dishes, especially when it comes to fried chicken.

Based on her experience, the chicken’s thigh part is best for making juicy nuggets. The breast part, since it contains the most white meat, works perfectly well for schnitzels. The tenderloins, on the other hand, are best for chicken tenders, as the name suggests. And if you’re down for some crunchy buffalo style dish, the wings are perfect for the job.

And since every fried chicken recipe makes use of some sort of coating, the next step is to decide which coating to use for your version.

If you’re the type to prefer your fried chicken to have a crunchy crumb coat, then you can use panko crumbs for a classic flavour. You can even add spices of your choice! Jane even suggests trying crushed chips like Doritos as coating if you’re feeling more adventurous.

This one is Karl Stefanovic’s favourite: coating his fried chicken with tempura batter. “Make sure you get all the lumps out without overbeating,” Jane advises. She recommends the Obento bag mix for an easy fix.

This list wouldn’t be complete without the all-time favourite buttermilk coating! After marinating the chicken for as long as possible in the buttermilk, coat it in a flour mix. Jane suggests double dipping for a thicker, fuller coat.

And for those who prefer their fried chicken simple and no-fuss, you can always cook it straight without a coating, though, Jane recommends dusting it with a little seasoned baking powder (not to confuse with bicarb!) for that amazing crispy skin.

Now that your chicken is well and truly coated, you can finally get to cooking!

The method depends on your choice of coating.

If you coated your chicken with flour or used a tempura batter, you should deep fry your chicken. When cooking, make sure you get a good thermometer and keep the oil temperature up. “About 175°C is best, and the temperature will drop as you add cold chicken in, so make sure to bring it back,” says Jane.

And if you opted for a crunchy crumb coat, it’s best to cook your fried chicken in the air fryer. Not only will it fry more quickly, but it will also cook the crust evenly, without burning it. Just make sure you preheat your basket and spray it with a little non-stick oil before you add the chicken pieces in.

If you don’t have an air fryer available, you can also pop the chicken pieces in the oven. Baking allows you to cook big batches, too! However, Jane advises against overloading your tray, or else the pieces might not cook at the same time.

But if all else fails, you can always pan fry your chicken!

Now, all that’s left are the dipping sauces. If you’re running out of options, we suggest taking a look at this video for some inspiration!