A crispy crunch you can hear from the first bite, and tender, juicy meat inside: this is what makes broasted chicken one of the most popular dishes in Saudi Arabia. Since ordering it from a restaurant can be expensive, many people look for a way to make restaurant-quality broasted chicken at home. The secret isn't just in the recipe, but in three things: the marinade, the packaging, and the oil temperature. In this guide, we explain these steps precisely, along with a garlic and potato sauce, using Sarra chicken seasoning and spicy breadcrumbs from Sarra Store .
What is broasted chicken?
Broasted chicken is marinated and floured chicken, traditionally fried using pressure frying in specialized restaurant equipment. The pressure allows the chicken to cook faster and retain its juices, resulting in tender inside and crispy outside. At home, you don't need this equipment; a long marinade, proper coating, and oil at a consistent temperature will give you results very close to restaurant-quality broasted chicken , safely and using your regular kitchen tools.
The difference between broasted chicken and Kentucky Fried Chicken
- Broasted chicken: It is marinated for a long time, and is often fried under pressure in restaurants, so it comes out softer, juicier, and with a thinner crust.
- Kentucky: In homes, this refers to fried chicken with a thick, flaky crust and lots of spices, made by repeated packaging.
The result: Broasted chicken focuses on tender meat , while Kentucky Fried Chicken focuses on a thick crust . This recipe combines both: tender meat and a crispy crust.
Ingredients for restaurant-style broasted chicken
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Stage | Ingredients
Marinade | 1 chicken cut into 8 pieces (approximately 1.2 kg), 1 cup yogurt or milk, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 2 tablespoons chicken seasoning , 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt and black pepper
Wet mix | 2 eggs, 1/2 cup cold milk, a pinch of salt
Dry coating | 2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp chicken seasoning, 1 tsp garlic powder, salt
For frying | Plenty of vegetable oil to cover the chicken
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Authentic broasted chicken seasoning
The seasoning for broasted chicken is what gets the flavor inside the piece, not just to the crust:
- Wash the chicken and dry it thoroughly.
- Make slits in the larger pieces so that the seasoning penetrates.
- Mix yogurt or milk with vinegar, spices, garlic and salt.
- Cover the chicken with the marinade, and leave it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight.
Yogurt and vinegar break down the meat fibers, making it tender. This is the difference between restaurant broasted chicken and regular fried chicken.
Broasted chicken marinade without eggs
If someone in the household doesn't eat eggs, replace the wet mix with one of these alternatives:
- Cold milk with a spoonful of starch: gives a sticky consistency that stabilizes the flour.
- Yogurt diluted with a little water: holds the coating and adds a gentle acidity.
- Ice water with flour: a light mixture that creates a very crispy crust.
The method is the same: flour, then the mixture, then flour again with hand pressure until the coating is firm.
Broasted chicken seasoning: Ingredients
Broasted chicken seasoning combines garlic, paprika, black pepper, and onion powder, with a touch of cumin or ginger. The key is to use the spices in two places : in the marinade to infuse the chicken with flavor, and in the flour to give the crust a distinct aroma. To save time, our ready-made chicken seasoning mix contains coriander, onion, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, and galangal.
Steps to make broasted chicken like restaurants
- Take the chicken out of the refrigerator 20 minutes before frying so that the oil doesn't cool down.
- Mix the dry coating ingredients in a wide bowl.
- Dip each piece in flour, then in the egg and milk mixture, then in flour again, pressing with your hand.
- Leave the pieces on a rack for 10 minutes to allow the coating to set.
- Heat the oil to the appropriate temperature, and fry the pieces in batches.
- Arrange the chicken on a rack, not on paper towels.
The secret to crispy broasted chicken
- Double coating: flour, then a wet mixture, then flour, resulting in a thick, crispy crust.
- Cornstarch: makes the crust lighter and crispier than flour alone.
- Baking powder: It forms small bubbles, making the crust brittle.
- Sprinkle water on the flour: It creates small lumps that give a nice, restaurant-like appearance.
- Cold milk or sparkling water in the wet mixture increases crunchiness.
- Add spicy breadcrumbs to the coating for extra crunch and a spicy flavor.
Broasted chicken with cornflakes
For a crunchier texture than any other coating, add cornflakes :
- Grind a cup of cornflakes coarsely, not finely.
- Mix it with a cup of flour and a spoonful of chicken seasoning.
- Dip the chicken in flour, then in egg, then in the cornflake mixture, pressing down.
- Chill the pieces in the refrigerator for an hour until the coating sets.
- Fry it over medium heat, because cornflakes brown faster than flour.
Oil temperature and frying time
Heat is the biggest difference between restaurant-quality broasted chicken and broasted chicken with a burnt crust and undercooked meat:
- Oil temperature: between 165 and 175 degrees Celsius, measured with a cooking thermometer.
- Thighs and hips: 12 to 15 minutes.
- Breasts: 10 to 12 minutes depending on size.
- Wings: 8 to 10 minutes.
- Sign of ripeness: When the temperature inside the piece reaches 74 degrees Celsius, and the juice comes out clear.
Tip: Don't overfill the pot, as every large batch lowers the oil temperature and causes the chicken to absorb the oil.
Quick Broasted Chicken Recipe
If you don't have time for a long marinade:
- Cut the chicken into small pieces, or use sliced breasts.
- Season it with milk, vinegar, and chicken spices, and leave it for only 30 minutes.
- Double- coated with flour, starch, and breadcrumbs.
- Fry it at 170 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes.
The smaller pieces cook faster and absorb the marinade in less time, so the quick broasted method is suitable for everyday dinners.
Broasted chicken breast (strips)
Chicken breasts dry out quickly, so they need different treatment:
- Cut the breast into finger-thick slices so that it cooks evenly.
- Season it with yogurt for one to two hours, as yogurt helps keep it soft.
- Double- coated with flour and breadcrumbs.
- Lower it to 175 degrees for only 4 to 5 minutes.
Adding just one more minute to the frying time is enough to make the strips dry, so keep a close eye on the golden color.
Homemade broasted chicken without a pressure cooker
Restaurants use specially designed pressure fryers, while a home pressure cooker is not designed for deep-frying and using it for this purpose is extremely dangerous. A safer alternative to homemade fried chicken is to fry it in a deep, open pot or deep fryer, with:
- Oil that completely covers the chicken.
- Constant temperature between 165 and 175 degrees.
- Light, loose covering for the first few minutes for large pieces, then uncovering to establish crunch.
Broasted chicken in an air fryer
For a lighter version with less oil:
- Season and dip the chicken in the same way.
- Spray the pieces well with oil after coating, as this is the secret to crispiness in the air fryer.
- Arrange them without piling them up.
- Cook it at 200 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes, turning it over halfway through and sprinkling it with oil again.
The result is lighter than fried broasted chicken, but crispy and suitable for everyday use.
Broasted chicken with a taste similar to Al Baik
Al Baik's original recipe is a restaurant secret, but you can get close to its taste at home:
- Garlic is strongly present in the marinade and in the flour.
- Marinate overnight in milk and vinegar.
- The crust is thin and crispy , not thick, so reduce the packaging to one and a half times.
- Serve with garlic sauce, French fries, and bread.
With these details, you get broasted chicken that tastes just like Al Baik's , all from your own kitchen.
Garlic sauce for broasted chicken
Broasted chicken is not complete without garlic sauce , and this is a fixed method that cannot be dispensed with:
- Grind 6 cloves of garlic with half a teaspoon of salt in a blender.
- Add an egg white and a spoonful of lemon juice, and mix.
- Pour a cup of vegetable oil in a thin stream while the blender is running, until the sauce becomes white and thick.
- Add another spoonful of lemon juice at the end, and keep it in the refrigerator.
The secret: Pour the oil very slowly; adding it too quickly will cause the sauce to separate. If it does separate, add a tablespoon of ice water and mix.
Crispy broasted potatoes
- Cut the potatoes into equal-sized strips, and soak them in cold water for 30 minutes to remove the starch.
- Dry them thoroughly with tissues, because moisture prevents crunching.
- Fry it twice: first at 150 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes until cooked without browning.
- Lift it out and leave it for 10 minutes, then fry it again at 180 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns golden.
- Season it while it's hot with salt and paprika.
Mistakes that make broasted chicken soft
- Cold oil: The chicken absorbs the oil and the skin softens.
- Stack the pieces in the pot or on the plate after frying.
- Filtering on tissues: Steam moistens the underside.
- Moisten the chicken before packaging, so the flour doesn't stick.
- Covering after frying: The trapped steam melts away the crispiness.
- Coated with flour only, without starch or breadcrumbs.
- Cut the chicken immediately after frying: Leave it for 5 minutes to allow the juices to settle.
Broasted chicken seasoning packet
These products from Surra make making restaurant-style broasted chicken easier and tastier:
- Chicken spices 80 grams : A natural blend for marinating and flour.
- Spicy breadcrumbs : For a crispy golden coating with a spicy flavor.
- Ground black pepper 200 grams : for the marinade and garlic sauce.
- Chicken cube alternative 220g : Adds flavor to marinades with natural ingredients.
Browse all the mixes in the Spices and Seasonings section .
Why choose a bag for home-baked broasted chicken?
Sarra spices are 100% natural , packaged in airtight containers to preserve their flavor, and their products are ISO certified for quality. From the seasoning to the coating, Sarra has everything you need for restaurant-quality broasted chicken in one order. Order now from Sarra Store , and for any inquiries , contact Sarra on WhatsApp .
Frequently asked questions about broasted chicken
Questions
Q: What is the secret to the crispiness of broasted chicken in restaurants?
A: Double coating, adding starch and baking powder to the flour, and frying the chicken in oil with a constant temperature between 165 and 175 degrees.
Q: How many minutes does broasted chicken need to be in the oil?
A: Thighs 12 to 15 minutes, breasts 10 to 12 minutes, wings 8 to 10 minutes.
Q: How many hours should I marinate the chicken for broasted chicken?
A: At least 4 hours, and ideally overnight in the refrigerator.
Q: Can I use a pressure cooker to make broasted chicken at home?
A: No, a home pressure cooker is not designed for deep frying with oil, and deep frying in an open pan is the safe alternative.
Q: What is the difference between broasted chicken and Kentucky Fried Chicken?
A: Broasted chicken is softer and has a thinner crust because it is marinated for a long time, while Kentucky Fried Chicken has a thick, flaky crust.
Q: Can broasted chicken be made without eggs?
A: Yes, using cold milk with starch, or diluted yogurt, or ice water with flour.
Q: Why does broasted chicken become soft after frying?
A: Due to the cold oil, or draining on paper towels, or covering the chicken after frying.
Q: How do I make garlic sauce for broasted chicken?
A: Grind the garlic with the salt, egg whites and lemon, then add the oil in a thin stream while the blender is running.
Q: Can broasted chicken be made in an air fryer?
A: Yes, at 200 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes, spraying the pieces with oil and turning them halfway through.
Q: How do I know if the broasted chicken is cooked through inside?
A: When the temperature inside the piece reaches 74 degrees Celsius, the juice comes out clear.
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