This fried chicken was inspired by my love for the classic Jollibee Chickenjoy: crispy, juicy, and with a kick of spice. It’s the kind of fried chicken that makes the effort worth it!
In classic Jollibee fashion, you can pair this with their other menu staples: Filipino Spaghetti, Pancit Palabok, or Burger Steak.
Ingredients and Substitutions
*The Recipe Card below includes all the full measurements for these ingredients!
Chicken: Go for skin-on, bone-in dark meat, like chicken legs and thighs for best flavor. You can also use chicken wings.
Brine: The brine is made up of primarily water, salt, chicken powder, sugar, bay leaves, black pepper, and garlic. Do not skip this step! This gives the chicken its juiciness and seasoning throughout.
Wet dredge: Made up of eggs and milk, this is what will help the coating stick onto the chicken.
Dry coating: The combination of flour, potato starch, white pepper, salt, and garlic powder will make for a crispy, flavorful coating. Potato starch can be substituted with cornstarch, and white pepper with ground black pepper.
Spicy seasoning: To complete the spicy chicken joy, a coating of cayenne pepper mixed with paprika will give it some heat and that classic red look (this is totally optional, and you can sprinkle on more if you’d like according to your spice tolerance).
Instructions
*The Recipe Card below includes all the full detailed instructions!
Soak the chicken in the brine mixture for at least 5 hours.
Coat the chicken in the wet dredge first, then coat in the dry dredge.
Deep fry the chicken for 10 to 12 mins until golden and cooked all the way through.
Sprinkle the spicy coating on top and let cool slightly before serving.
Cooking Tips
Rest the coated chicken before frying: Let the coated chicken rest for 15 minutes before frying. This helps the coating adhere better and prevents it from falling off in the oil (you can use that buffer time to make the gravy!)
Deep fry at 350 F: Oil thermometers will be your best friend. Maintaining consistent oil temperature ensures your fried chicken cooks through without becoming greasy or overly dark.
Don’t overcrowd the fryer: Unless you have a huge fryer, be sure to fry your chicken in batches to prevent oil temperature drops. This prevents it from becoming soggy, unevenly cooked, and pale in color.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What makes this fried chicken “Chickenjoy-style”?
This is a Jolibee-inspired recipe, where their signature ‘Chicken Joy’ or ‘Jolly Chicken” refers to an extra crispy fried chicken, juicy inside, and sometimes finished with a spicy seasoning after frying. It’s also commonly paired with a side of savory gravy.
Why is my fried chicken not crispy enough?
Common causes include oil that is too cool (not the right temperature), overcrowding, or using too much flour and not enough starch in the coating.
Can I make this chicken less spicy?
Yes, either reduce or omit the spicy powder in the final seasoning while keeping the base coating the same.
Jollibee-Inspired Spicy Fried Chicken
5
servingsThis fried chicken was inspired by my love for the classic Jollibee Chickenjoy: crispy, juicy, and with a kick of spice. It’s the kind of fried chicken that makes the effort worth it!
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Ingredients
Bone-in chicken (5 thighs, 5 legs)
Neutral oil, for deep frying
- Brine
4 cups water
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon powder
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 tablespoon whole black pepper corns
4 bay leaves
12 garlic cloves, smashed
- Wet Dredge
2 eggs
1 cup milk
- Dry Coating
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup potato starch (may also use corn starch)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- Spicy Seasoning
2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup unsalted chicken broth
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon liquid seasoning
1/4 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine together the water, salt, chicken powder, sugar, black pepper, bay leaves, and garlic. Mix well with a spoon or whisk to combine. Add in the chicken, ensuring it’s fully submerged in the brine. Cover, and let soak for at least 5 hours to overnight.
- After soaking, drain the brine from the chicken, discarding the rest of the aromatics. Prepare your coating station. In one bowl, combine together the eggs and milk, whisking well until scrambled. In a second bowl, combine together the flour, potato starch, white pepper, salt, and garlic powder, whisk well.
- Dip the chicken in the dry coating lightly, then into the wet dredge, ensuring it’s fully coated. Immediately place the chicken back into the dry coating again, making sure all the wet or moist spots are properly covered in the flour mix. Place the chicken on a wire rack to rest for at least 15 minutes. Repeat the step with the remaining chicken.
- When ready to deep fry, heat your oil to 350 F. Once to temperature, lower the chicken and fry for 10 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is cooked all the way through and golden. Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to cool.
- In a small bowl, combine together the cayenne pepper and paprika. Mix well with a spoon. Liberally sprinkle the spicy seasoning all over the fried chicken, as well as the underside, to preference. Let cool slightly while you prepare the gravy.
- Make the Gravy
- To a small pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add in the flour, and whisk well to combine. Continue to cook, whisking occasionally to prevent burning, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the roux mixture becomes golden brown in color.
- Whisking constantly, slowly pour in the chicken broth. Continue to whisk until no more clumps remain. Season with dark soy sauce, onion powder, liquid seasoning, chicken powder, and black pepper.
- Bring to a boil, then let simmer for 3 to 5 minutes until the gravy has thickened. Taste and season with more salt, if needed. Let cool slightly before serving with the chicken.
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