Garlic Fried Chicken Recipe – Crispy and Flavorful
This post may contain affiliate links.This Garlic Fried Chicken is crispy, savory, and packed with fragrant garlic flavor. It’s an easy chicken dish I’ve made many times for my family, especially when we’re craving something crunchy and comforting.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Garlic Fried Chicken
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 30 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12 pieces
🔥 Calories: 172 kcal per serving (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Chicken, garlic, salt, pepper, mushroom powder, tapioca flour, lime juice.
🥗 Dietary Info: Gluten free
🧠 Difficulty: Very easy
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If you love crispy chicken recipes, this Garlic Fried Chicken is another one to add to your list. Unlike my flourless fried chicken, this version uses tapioca flour for a light, crisp coating, while plenty of garlic gives it its bold savory flavor. It’s also naturally gluten-free, similar to my gluten-free fried chicken, but the garlic is really the star here.
I’ve made this recipe several times for my family, and it’s one of those simple chicken dishes that disappears quickly whenever I serve it with warm rice and a few easy sides.
This Garlic Fried Chicken is also surprisingly easy to make. Simply blend the seasoning ingredients, marinate the chicken until well flavored, then deep-fry it until golden and crispy. Most of the work is really just waiting for the chicken to marinate.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Chicken – I like using bone-in chicken pieces because they stay juicy while frying. A mixture of thighs, drumsticks, wings, or breast pieces works well.
Garlic – Garlic is the star of this recipe, so use plenty of fresh garlic for the best flavor and aroma.
Tapioca flour – This creates a light and crispy coating around the chicken. Tapioca flour is also naturally gluten-free.
Lime juice – Adds a little acidity and freshness to the marinade. Lemon juice can be used instead if that is what you have.
Mushroom powder – Adds extra savory, umami flavor to the chicken. You can substitute it with chicken bouillon powder if needed.
How to Make Garlic Fried Chicken
STEP 1. Prepare the garlic marinade. Peel 10–12 garlic cloves and set aside (Image 1). Place the garlic in a food processor with a little water to help it blend smoothly (Image 2). Process until finely blended, then pour into a large mixing bowl (Image 3). Add the salt, pepper, and mushroom powder (Images 4, 5), followed by the lime juice (Image 6). Stir until well combined.
STEP 2. Coat and marinate the chicken. Add the tapioca flour to the garlic mixture (Image 7) and stir until it forms a thick paste (Image 8). Add the chicken pieces and massage the marinade thoroughly over the chicken so every piece is well coated (Image 9). Lightly crush a few extra garlic cloves with the skins still on, add them to the chicken, and mix everything together (Image 10). Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for a stronger flavor (Image 11). When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator (Image 12).
STEP 3. Fry the chicken and garlic. Heat enough oil for deep-frying; I use coconut oil (Image 13). Carefully add the marinated chicken pieces together with the crushed garlic cloves. Fry until the chicken is cooked through and lightly golden, depending on the size of the pieces (Images 14, 15). Remove the chicken and let it rest briefly, then return it to the hot oil for another 5 minutes, or until deeply golden and crispy (Image 16). Fry the garlic until golden and crisp as well, then drain everything thoroughly before serving.
Pro Tips
- Marinate longer for more flavor – Let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour. If you have time, leave it overnight in the refrigerator so the garlic seasoning can penetrate the chicken more deeply.
- Massage the marinade into the chicken – Make sure every piece is thoroughly coated with the garlic and tapioca mixture. This helps the seasoning stick and gives the chicken a more even crust.
- Keep the crushed garlic for frying – The extra garlic cloves with the skins still on are fried together with the chicken. They become fragrant, golden, and crispy and are delicious served alongside the chicken.
- Do not overcrowd the pan – Fry the chicken in batches if necessary. Adding too many pieces at once can lower the oil temperature and make the chicken less crispy.
- Double-fry for extra crispiness – The first fry cooks the chicken through, while the second fry gives the outside a deeper golden color and a crispier texture.
- Adjust frying time to the size of the chicken pieces – Larger bone-in pieces may need a little longer. The chicken should be fully cooked inside before the second fry.
- Drain well after frying – Let the fried chicken rest on a wire rack or strainer so excess oil can drip away and the coating stays crisp.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Garlic Fried Chicken with your favorite chili sauce or sambal for an extra kick of heat. For a vegetable side, pair it with bok choy stir fry or garlic green beans to balance the richness of the fried chicken.
A warm bowl of egg drop soup also makes a comforting pairing and turns the meal into something more complete.
If you want something more filling, serve it with pineapple shrimp fried rice or nasi goreng kampung for extra carbs and flavor.
To cool things down, finish the meal with a refreshing glass of watermelon juice, pineapple mint soda, or cucumber juice.
Garlic Fried Chicken FAQs
Yes. Boneless chicken thighs work especially well because they stay juicy during frying. Just keep in mind that smaller boneless pieces will cook faster than large bone-in pieces.
Marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour. For a stronger garlic flavor, you can leave it covered in the refrigerator overnight.
Double-frying helps the chicken cook through evenly and makes the outside crispier and more golden. The second fry is especially useful for getting that extra-crunchy finish.
Tapioca flour gives the chicken a light, crisp coating. If you substitute it, the texture may be different. Potato starch or cornstarch would be the closest alternatives.
No, but I recommend it. Frying the crushed garlic together with the chicken makes it fragrant and crispy, and those golden garlic pieces are delicious served on the side.
The chicken should be golden outside and cooked through to the center. For accuracy, the internal temperature should reach 165°F / 74°C at the thickest part.
Storage
This Garlic Fried Chicken rarely makes it to the leftover stage, but if you do have some, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat it in the air fryer for the crispiest result, or use the microwave for a quicker option. If reheating in the microwave, the coating will be softer rather than crispy.
More Chicken Recipes
- Japanese Chicken Karaage
- Szechuan Chicken
- Kung Pao Chicken
- Three Cup Chicken
- Chicken Mushroom Stir Fry
Garlic Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into 12 pieces
- 20 cloves garlic 10 peeled, 10 crushed
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp mushroom powder or chicken bouillon powder
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 120 ml water
- 100 gr tapioca flour
Instructions
- Peel 10–12 garlic cloves and set aside. Place the garlic in a food processor with a little water to help it blend smoothly. Process until finely blended, then pour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt, pepper, and mushroom powder, followed by the lime juice. Stir until well combined.
- Add the tapioca flour to the garlic mixture and stir until it forms a thick paste. Add the chicken pieces and massage the marinade thoroughly over the chicken so every piece is well coated. Lightly crush a few extra garlic cloves with the skins still on, add them to the chicken, and mix everything together. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or overnight for a stronger flavor. When ready to cook, remove the chicken from the refrigerator.
- Heat enough oil for deep-frying; I use coconut oil. Carefully add the marinated chicken pieces together with the crushed garlic cloves. Fry until the chicken is cooked through and lightly golden, depending on the size of the pieces. Remove the chicken and let it rest briefly, then return it to the hot oil for another 5 minutes, or until deeply golden and crispy. Fry the garlic until golden and crisp as well, then drain everything thoroughly before serving.
Notes
- Marinate longer for more flavor – Let the chicken marinate for at least 1 hour. If you have time, leave it overnight in the refrigerator so the garlic seasoning can penetrate the chicken more deeply.
- Massage the marinade into the chicken – Make sure every piece is thoroughly coated with the garlic and tapioca mixture. This helps the seasoning stick and gives the chicken a more even crust.
- Keep the crushed garlic for frying – The extra garlic cloves with the skins still on are fried together with the chicken. They become fragrant, golden, and crispy and are delicious served alongside the chicken.
- Do not overcrowd the pan – Fry the chicken in batches if necessary. Adding too many pieces at once can lower the oil temperature and make the chicken less crispy.
- Double-fry for extra crispiness – The first fry cooks the chicken through, while the second fry gives the outside a deeper golden color and a crispier texture.
- Adjust frying time to the size of the chicken pieces – Larger bone-in pieces may need a little longer. The chicken should be fully cooked inside before the second fry.
- Drain well after frying – Let the fried chicken rest on a wire rack or strainer so excess oil can drip away and the coating stays crisp.
This garlic fried chicken is so flavorful and crispy that it usually disappears in minutes! Even the fried crushed garlic is delicious. Give it a try and you’ll see why it’s a family favorite.