The Secret To Joanna Gaines' Crispy Fried Chicken Is This Expert Technique

You probably know Joanna Gaines as one half of the husband and wife duo who runs the Magnolia home design empire in Waco, Texas. But you might not know her genius hack for creating perfectly golden, extra-crispy Southern fried chicken on repeat. 

After soaking the chicken pieces in a mixture of hot sauce and buttermilk, she whips up a blend of all-purpose flour (the best flour for fried chicken), baking powder, cornstarch, and spices. Each piece of chicken is dredged, or thoroughly coated, with the flour mixture. But instead of placing the chicken directly into hot frying oil, Joanna lets each flour-and-spice-steeped thigh and drumstick lay flat on a wire rack for about 10 minutes. 

This intentional resting period is, as husband Chip calls her, JoJo's secret to getting a crispier, crunchier crust on fried chicken. When it sits, the moisture from the chicken soaks into the flour, thus hydrating it and thickening it. This forms a dense coating that crackles and crunches once it's tossed into the fryer.

Hydrating the flour coating on the chicken adds a signature crispy, golden edge, but creating flavorful fried chicken is another story. Start by patting the chicken pieces dry and seasoning them with salt and pepper at minimum. You could sprinkle garlic powder and onion powder on the chicken for warm, savory notes, or crank up the heat with smoked paprika or a pinch of cayenne pepper. Next, season the buttermilk mixture. Celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian adds Old Bay seasoning, but you could use hot sauce like Joanna Gaines, sriracha, or even a poultry seasoning. Or get crazy and add some pickle juice for a more briny, salty flavor. 

Your dredging flour is another place to pack in flavor. If you've already added spices to the chicken and the buttermilk mixture, keep the flour seasoning simple with freshly ground salt and black pepper. One final place to boost the flavor meter for fried chicken is after it's been removed from the frying oil and set out to cool on a wire rack. The chicken will still be warm, which is the perfect opportunity to add a drizzle of homemade hot honey or an additional dusting of other seasonings. Now that's some finger-licking-good chicken.