I'm looking for a good way to store fried chicken, as well as a good way to warm it up without it becoming soggy. I often have to cook a day or 2 in advance and the chicken loses its crunchy crust.
For the record, I usually coat my chicken in flour, dip in eggs, coat in cornflake crumbs, and fry.
Best Answer
Nothing you do will be perfect but here are a few things you can do to help.
Sealed spaces will trap the moisture released by the chicken as it cools. Refrigerators are natural moist spaces as well. You will want to do this on a drying rack to prevent the chicken sitting in its own runoff juices. Use of a fan will speed up the process and allow you to get the chicken in the fridge sooner for safety reasons.
Can't find a desiccant? Don't want to use those little packs that come with your new shoes that practically screams
Don't eat me!? Well I usually just use a paper bag. Add a few paper towels if needed. Rice and salt can be your friend too.I prefer fryer because it will come out closest to the original that way. However it is also easier to break the delicate crusty exterior. The stronger your coating the better chance of succeeding with this (Note: for items that don't have a fragile exterior like French Fries this almost always works great.) One way to ensure your coating is stronger is to have rested it after applying the coating for some time before the actual initial frying. The Oven however works well too and I prefer this method for larger batches for sheer convenience. I go with a lower temperature of 300 degrees F in order to achieve more internal heat before the exterior begins to burn but feel free to adjust for your needs.