A poultry professor came up with this iconic BBQ chicken recipe. Here’s how to make it
Getting philosophical about whether the chicken or the egg that the egg came first (it’s an egg with hundreds of millions of years) is all well and good, but it won’t help to dinner on the tableFor the best BBQ of your life, you need chicken And an egg, together with some apple cider vinegarsimple poultry spices, oil and a hot grill.
I’m talking about Cornell Chicken, an iconic summer grilling recipe based on food science and developed by inventor and professor of food and poultry science at Cornell University, Dr. Robert C. Baker.
Baker wrote the proverbial book on barbecue chicken, according to many, after extensive recipe testing in the 1950s. “Cornell chicken,” as it is known, is beautifully simple and remains one of the most praised chicken marinades and summer barbecue recipes. You’ll find Cornell chicken served in restaurants, particularly in upstate New York where the university is located, family picnics, food fairs and festivals across the country.
Dr. Baker is a barbecue legend from the Northeast.
Backed by some heady food science, Cornell Chicken uses an unusual ingredient, a beaten egg, to add a creamy coating and crisp the chicken skin without burning it. There’s also poultry seasoning for depth of flavor and vinegar to add a tangy tang and help the marinade penetrate the meat. Most recipes succeed when they’re balanced or “blooming,” and Cornell Chicken is a great example of simple elements working together to create a perfect unity.
If you’re wondering how to make Cornell chicken, it’s easy: It uses just five ingredients and a similar cooking method to traditional barbecue chicken. This chicken marinade is vinegar-based, so it’s more like a Carolina style than the sweet Kansas City or St. Louis styles. Baker recommends using a charcoal grill to prevent unruly flames from cooking the skin unevenly.
The BBQ chicken recipe is about as simple as it gets. Baker’s cooking technique is a little more precise.
How to Make the Perfect Cornell Chicken
Ingredients:
- Chicken pieces with bone
- 1/2 cup vegetable cooking oil
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 beaten egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Let the marinade soak in for at least three hours.
Directions:
- Step 1: Beat the egg. Add oil and beat again.
- Step 2: Mix all ingredients in a bowl.
- Step 3: Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least three hours and up to 24 hours.
- Step 4Place the breaded chicken on a medium-high grill (Baker recommends charcoal), reserving any remaining marinade.
- Step 5: Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, turning the chicken and basting the chicken with any remaining sauce every five minutes. The basting should be light at first and become heavier toward the end of cooking.
- Step 6: Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dr. Baker recommends a charcoal grill, but gas works just as well.
Can you make Cornell chicken in an air fryer?
Yes, and that’s what I did. I put half of my batch in the air fryer and the other half over a hot flame as Baker intended. Both methods worked well. The grill gave me a slightly more caramelized char, while the air fryer was faster and required less cleanup.
Dr. Baker provided instructions for building a fire pit, but you can also opt for a charcoal or gas grill and achieve similar results.
Can you use any type of chicken for Cornell chicken?
Baker original recipe calls for broilers (small whole chickens), but this recipe can be applied to any bone-in, skinless chicken. You can use boneless, skinless chicken, but you won’t get that coveted crispy skin that Baker’s Cornell Chicken recipe delivers.
If you don’t feel like making your own sauce, these are the best bottled BBQ sauces we’ve tried.
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