Chicken needs to be coated before it's breaded.
If you're making fried chicken or some sort of other breaded chicken, you'll need a technique for first dipping the chicken pieces in a wet substance. The wet substance helps the breading stick to the chicken, making it crispy and delicious once it's finished cooking. There are several coating substances to choose from, with a fit for all dietary needs.
Egg
Egg is a traditional dipping substance for chicken and its thickness makes it easy for the bread to stick to the chicken. Whisk an egg yolk and white together in a bowl or dish and roll each chicken piece in it, then dredge through the bread crumbs. If you're counting calories, just use the egg whites for dipping.
Milk
Milk is a good substitute for those with egg allergies. Whole milk works better than reduced fat milk, which is thinner and will catch fewer crumbs. Buttermilk is a prime alternative, as it is a thick milk that also gives a unique taste to the chicken.
Lemon
Lemon juice is a light alternative for chicken dipping, as it adds very few calories to the dish. A few squirts on each side of the pieces of chicken goes a long way, then dredge through the breading. This will create a thinner coating of bread crumbs. Also, consider using other citrus, like lime juice or orange juice.
Water
If you want a dipping substance that adds no calories and poses no allergy threat, use a bit of water. The moisture of the water will help the chicken pick up some breading, creating a very thin layer of crumbs. This is ideal for diet dishes or lighter meals where you don't want heavy breading.
Tags: bread crumbs, dipping substance, dredge through, stick chicken, then dredge
