Does Chick-Fil-A marinate chicken in kimchi juice? (all you must know)
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Chick-Fil-A is an iconic American fast-food restaurant that serves the best chicken sandwiches and is known for making exquisite chicken dishes.
As a result, consumers can’t help but wonder what the secret recipe is. Does Chick-Fil-A marinate chicken in pickle juice, as many have guessed? I did a deep research on this matter and here is what I found!
Is Chick-Fil-A dipping chicken in pickle juice in 2022?
Chick-Fil-A has yet to provide official information on whether to marinate chicken in pickle juice as of 2022. Some sources claim that Chick-Fil-A actually uses sodium glutamate (MSG) as the main ingredient in its chicken sandwiches. On the other hand, other sources suggest that Chick-Fil-A soaks chicken in pickle juice, especially when frying boneless chicken.
Read on if you want to learn why Chick-Fil-A might be dipping chicken in pickle juice, Chick-Fil-A’s secret ingredient, and more!
Does Chick-Fil-A marinate chicken in kimchi juice?
The main reason a restaurant might use pickle juice is to tenderize the meat. Other reasons include keeping the meat moist and adding some dill flavor to the meat.
It’s worth noting that the pickle juice tenderization tips also work for lean meats, pork, and turkey.
What does Chick-Fil-A use to marinate chicken?
Chick-Fil-A does not provide an official statement on the ingredients it uses to marinate the chicken because it intends to keep its recipe secret.
However, most sources claim that restaurants marinate chicken breasts in pickle juice for a tender and tasty meat.
How long does Chick-Fil-A marinate chicken in pickle juice?
Although anonymous Chick-Fil-A employees have debunked the pickle juice rumor, many customers still claim the rumor is true.
So if it does, the process could take at least two hours.
Also, if the chicken is marinated in pickle juice, it should not be more than 24 hours. If the chicken sits in the pickle juice for so long, it will change the texture.
What does pickle juice do to Chick-Fil-A chicken?
Marinating the chicken beforehand adds hours of chemical penetration, where the thirsty proteins in the chicken draw the marinating juices into the meat, which then undergoes a denaturation process.
The process of denaturation helps break down and loosen previously tightly coiled protein helical chains. The salt is then drawn into the meat through an osmotic process.
As the salt is drawn into the expanding protein, the molecules relax and neatly fill all the new spaces.
What is the secret ingredient in Chick-Fil-A?
The ingredients are MSG, commonly known as MSG. It is a product in American Chinese food.
MSG is a by-product of the sodium salt of amino acids. Sources of MSG include:
- parmesan cheese
- tomato
- mushroom
It has dozens of food items, including snacks (such as Doritos) and powder mixes.
What does MSG do to Chick-Fil-A chicken?
Basically, MSG enhances the flavor by giving the chicken an umami-like quality. As a result, Chick-Fil-A chicken dishes have a strong flavor profile.
Is Chick-Fil-A’s MSG harmful to human health?
According to the FDA, MSG has been “generally recognized as safe” for many years.
However, clients have received some reports of MSG having side effects, such as headaches and sweating to nausea.
MSG is just one of many FDA-approved food additives in the US food industry.
What other ingredients are in the Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich?
The ingredients for a Chick-Fil-A sandwich include:
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1/4 cup pickle juice (sour dill is my favorite)
- an egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- Optional: up to 1/2 teaspoon paprika for spicy sandwiches
- frying oil (about a cup)
- Serve: buns (buttered and toasted) and pickle chips!
What is the procedure for making the Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich?
Here is the procedure for assembling a Chick-Fil-A sandwich:
- Loosely wrap chicken between plastic wrap and tap lightly with the flat side of a tenderizer until about 1/2 inch thick around
- Cut into two pieces, as even as possible
- Marinate in pickle juice for 30 minutes to an hour (add a teaspoon of Tabasco for a spicy sandwich)
- Beat eggs with milk in bowl
- Combine flour, sugar and spices in another bowl
- Dip the chicken pieces into the eggs on each side, then coat both sides with flour
- Heat oil (1/2 inch deep) in a pan to about 345-350
- Fry each schnitzel for 2 minutes per side or until golden and cooked through
- Blot on paper and place on toast with pickle chips
To learn more, you can also read our post on whether Chick-Fil-A serves breakfast all day, whether Chick-Fil-A serves lunch all day, and whether Chick-Fil-A is real chicken.
in conclusion
Chick-Fil-A did not provide an official statement on whether it marinated the chicken in kimchi juice. However, the company allegedly secretly used pickle juice when making chicken sandwiches.
Chick-Fil-A also uses MSG as one of the main ingredients to add flavor to the chicken.
