You’re making fried chicken, and you need to coat the pieces in flour before you dip them in the egg wash and then the bread crumbs. But can you mix flour and bread crumbs together? Can you use one bowl for both instead of two? Easy answer: Yes, you can mix flour and bread crumbs together. In fact, that’s probably the easiest way to go about it. However, there are benefits to using a separate bowl for each ingredient depending on what kind of dish you’re making with the chicken. Here is a look at when it makes sense to keep them separate and when mixing them together is your best bet.
Can You Mix Flour And Bread Crumbs Together?
Yes. Flour and bread crumbs can be mixed together. In fact, it’s probably the easiest way to go about it. You’ll want to use fresh bread crumbs as they’ll be less likely to clump together and make a mess of your coating. You can even use croutons if you want to make the coating even more crunchy. If you’re making a sweet coating, like for a fried chicken or pineapple fried chicken, you can even mix in some sugar with the flour and bread crumbs to give it a nice, crisp coating.
Why You Should Keep Flour And Bread Crumbs Separate
This may sound silly when you know you can mix them together at the same time, but there are a couple of reasons to keep flours and bread crumbs separate. First, when you use separate bowls, you can make sure you’re using the right amount of each. Too much flour and you won’t have enough egg coating to make the chicken nice and crispy. Too much crumbs and you won’t have enough to make a nice, even coating. The other reason is if you’re using special flours or bread crumbs. For example, if you’re using a gluten-free flour, it’s best to keep it separate from regular flour so as to not cross-contaminate the two.
When You Should Mix Flour And Bread Crumbs Together
There are a couple of instances where you’ll want to mix the flour and bread crumbs together. The most common one is if you’re coating something with a thin batter, such as fried fish. In this case, you want the batter to adhere to the fish, but you don’t want it to get too thick. Adding some flour to the batter will thin it out, making it easier to use. Another instance is if you’re making something like fried chicken nuggets. In this case, you want to coat the nuggets in both flour and bread crumbs. The flour will help the batter adhere to the nuggets, and the bread crumbs will add a nice, crispy outside once they’re fried.
When You Should Use Separate Bowls For Flour And Bread Crumbs
If you’re making something like fried chicken that requires both flour and bread crumbs, you’ll want to use separate bowls. This way, you can measure out the correct amounts of each ingredient, and you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination. Keep in mind, though, that the bread crumbs will have to have time to dry out and get crispy. In order to do this, you’ll have to let the bread crumbs sit out for a while. A good rule of thumb is to place them in a bowl and let them sit out for at least 30 minutes and up to an hour. This will give them time to become crunchy and ready to use.
Summary
These are just a few instances where you’ll want to keep flours and bread crumbs separate. However, for the most part, you can mix them together and use one bowl for both. If you’re making fried chicken, you can even mix the two together with the addition of a little bit of sugar to help the bread crumbs get nice and crispy. Just make sure to use fresh bread crumbs so they don’t clump together and become a mess. Keep in mind that you’ll want to use fresh flour and bread crumbs when mixing them together. This way, they don’t clump together and make a mess in your coating. For best results, make sure the bread crumbs have time to sit out and get crispy before using them. This will ensure they’re nice and crunchy when they’re fried.