Wine battered fried chicken bite
Kick off your New Year’s Eve celebration with a fun twist on fried chicken! The sparkling wine in the batter adds lightness and flavor, while a mix of rice flour and cornstarch keeps the coating irresistibly crisp for longer than a typical flour batter. Pair these crunchy bites with a luscious sour cream and caviar dip for an elegant appetizer everyone will love.
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
For the caviar sour cream dip:
1½ cups sour cream
3 tablespoons prepared horseradish, drained
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
One 2-ounce jar caviar (divided)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
For the batter and chicken:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup plain rice flour
1½ cups (12 ounces) chilled Champagne or other dry sparkling wine
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Prepare for frying: Pour 2 inches of vegetable oil into a large Dutch oven or deep pot and heat to 360°F (182°C) using a deep-fry thermometer. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a cooling rack.
Make the caviar dip: In a small bowl, gently stir together sour cream, horseradish, lemon zest, lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Fold in 1 ounce of caviar and the chopped chives, being careful not to break up the caviar eggs. Refrigerate while you prepare the chicken.
Prepare the batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, and 1 teaspoon salt. Gradually whisk in the chilled Champagne until smooth.
Season the chicken: Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper, tossing to coat evenly.
Fry the chicken: Working in batches, dip about half the chicken pieces into the batter, letting any excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully add the battered chicken to the hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp—about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the cooling rack to drain and season lightly with salt.
Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces and batter, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches.
Serve: Spoon the caviar sour cream dip into a serving bowl, garnish with the remaining 1 ounce of caviar and extra chives. Serve the fried chicken hot or warm alongside the dip.
- Pro Tip
To keep your fried chicken extra crispy, drain the cooked pieces on a wire rack instead of paper towels. This prevents sogginess by allowing air to circulate around the chicken. Also, maintain the oil temperature carefully between batches for consistent, crunchy results.
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