Make Outback bloomin’ fried chicken for a hearty meal that’s simple and delicious. This copycat recipe gives you a restaurant experience without leaving your house!
Outback Steakhouse is a casual dining chain that serves Australian food. And juicy fried chicken is a popular option on their menu, alongside classics like ribs, steak, and seafood.
The bloomin’ onion is their most well-known dish, but they serve other “bloomin'” options. For example, this bloomin’ chicken recipe is boneless chicken breast battered with bloomin onion seasoning.
Best of all, this recipe is easy to make at home! You only need a few standard ingredients.
Also, don’t forget to make the bloomin onion sauce to go with your chicken! It’s the perfect accompaniment for your meal.
All About the Outback Steakhouse Bloomin Fried Chicken Ingredients
Boneless Chicken Breast
In the original recipe, this is the cut of meat Outback Steakhouse uses for their bloomin fried chicken. And I love it because it’s easy to work with and doesn’t have a lot of fat.
All-Purpose Flour and Cornstarch
Either one of these kitchen staples works well for making the coating on fried chicken. However, using them together makes magic!
You want your bloomin fried chicken to have a crispy, golden-brown crust. And by itself, flour won’t darken enough to look tasty.
But if you add cornstarch, you’ll get the right consistency and coloring for perfect fried chicken!
Baking Soda
For a little more kitchen magic, let’s go back to chemistry class. In this case, we’re talking about changing the pH level of chicken.
When you add baking soda (a base) to raw chicken, it makes the chicken more alkaline. And this, in turn, starts breaking some of the chemical bonds in the meat.
When the bonds are broken, the meat browns faster. Therefore, it will get crispier than chicken without baking soda.
(This is also a great trick when you’re making baked chicken wings!)
Buttermilk
Buttermilk is the opposite of baking soda – it’s acidic. So, when you put it on chicken, the acid starts tenderizing the meat.
It saves you a lot of work pounding out the chicken, and the meat will melt in your mouth!
Egg
Both parts of the egg help your bloomin fried chicken get as crispy as possible.
For example, the egg yolk helps prevent gluten formation in the batter. And that keeps the flour mixture from turning chewy.
On the other hand, the egg white helps prevent the chicken from absorbing oil and becoming greasy.
Herbs and Spices
While you could stick with plain salt and pepper, herbs and spices really take this bloomin fried chicken recipe up a notch. I love this mixture because it tastes a bit smokey and gives the flavor of the breading a lot more depth.
But you can also experiment with your own seasonings, or add other spices to this mix, like onion powder or seasoned salt.
Easy Tips for the Best Outback Bloomin Fried Chicken
Batter Dry, Then Wet
When battering your chicken, start with the flour and spice mixture – not the egg mixture. It may seem counterintuitive, but the dry ingredients actually help the egg stick to the chicken.
Also, starting with the flour gives you a nice thick crust at the end.
Follow the Correct Breading Order
Some people have trouble making bloomin fried chicken because the coating falls off. If you run into difficulties, try following these steps:
- Use paper towels to pat the chicken breasts dry. If they’re at all damp, the coating may not stick.
- Once you dip the chicken in the flour, tap it gently so any excess falls off. If there’s too much flour on the meat, the egg won’t stay on.
- Be patient and don’t flip your fried chicken too early – wait until it has turned golden brown! If you try to move it too soon, you can accidentally knock the breading off.
Marinate the Chicken
For the most tender bloomin fried chicken, marinate the chicken pieces in buttermilk!
As I mentioned before, buttermilk is acidic, and it will help tenderize the meat. Also, it contains enzymes that also help break down the tough fibers in chicken.
In addition, your marinated chicken will be extra juicy from the creamy sauce that the buttermilk makes.
While regular dairy buttermilk is traditional, you can also use non-dairy milk for marinating. For example, almond or coconut milk works great.
For the best results, marinate your chicken for at least 24 hours, and not more than 48. This is also a lot easier than using a mallet to make pounded chicken breast!
Pick the Right Fat
The most important feature of your fry oil is the smoke point. If your oil burns at a low temperature, your fried food will taste bad.
Therefore, you want to use an oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut or canola oil. Or, you can use Crisco shortening.
Outback Bloomin Fried Chicken Recipe
- Prep Time10 min
- Cook Time35 min
- Total Time45 min
- Servings3
- Yield
Level: Easy
Ingredients
For dry batter ingredients:
For wet batter ingredients:
Material
Method
- Heat the Oil
First, pour the oil into your cast iron skillet and turn the stove to medium. Allow the oil to heat up while you prepare the chicken.
- Make the Dipping Mixes
In one mixing bowl, add all of the dry ingredients and stir them together until combined. Then, add the eggs and buttermilk to the second bowl and whisk them thoroughly.
- Dip the Chicken
Next, dip one piece of chicken in the flour mixture, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the flour once more. And check that every part of the piece is covered in batter.
Once you’ve finished, repeat this process with the rest of the chicken.
- Fry the Chicken
When the oil is hot, add a few pieces to the pan. Cook them for about 4 minutes, or until the bottoms are golden brown. Then, flip the seasoned chicken pieces gently, and cook them for approximately 3 more minutes.
Once both sides are golden, remove the bloomin fried chicken pieces from the pan and put them on the paper towel-lined plate. Then, continue with the rest of the chicken.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Dish up your delicious fried chicken with your favorite sauces and sides. Yum!
What to Serve With Outback Bloomin Fried Chicken
What goes well with bloomin fried chicken? Just about anything!
- My favorite sides include french fries for a decadent meal, or salad for a lighter one.
- In general, I usually serve at least one vegetable to make a balanced meal. For example, roasted vegetables such as carrots, mushrooms, or asparagus are a great option.
- Or, you could serve a creamy starch to go with this chicken. Either homemade mashed potatoes or mac and cheese would taste amazing!
- And for sauces, you can always stick to ketchup, or experiment with aioli, salsa, or three cheese steak dip.
Check Also:
Storage and Reheating Instructions
If you have leftovers, put them in an airtight container or tightly wrap them with plastic wrap or tin foil. In the refrigerator, cooked chicken will last for up to 3 days, and in the freezer, it will last up to about 3 months.
When you’re ready to enjoy your chicken, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator if it’s frozen. And then put it back in a hot pan on the stove for about 1-2 minutes.
Nutrition Advice
Chicken breast without the skin is healthy because it’s a lean meat. In other words, it’s high in protein and low in fat.
However, frying the meat adds more fat to the meal. This is not necessarily a problem because the fat comes from vegetable oil, which is unsaturated.
But if fat consumption is a concern, bake or air fry the chicken instead.
Also, consider the sauces you’re eating with this bloomin fried chicken dish.
For example, creamy sauces, such as the bloomin onion dip, use mayonnaise or sour cream. And both of these are both high in total fat and in saturated fat.
Therefore, you may want to reduce your intake of these dips. – Kirsten Mae Magbanua, RND
- 979Calories
- 21.8gFat
- 43.6gCarbs
- 156.9gProtein
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 979 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 21.8g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat5.8g | 29% |
| Cholesterol425mg | 142% |
| Sodium2225mg | 97% |
| Total Carbohydrate43.6g | 16% |
| Dietary Fiber1.5g | 5% |
| Total Sugars2.7g | |
| Protein156.9g | |
| Vitamin C3mcg | 15% |
| Calcium74mg | 6% |
| Iron7mg | 37% |
| Potassium154mg | 3% |
- hgic.clemson.edu Safe Handling of Poultry
