Fried Chicken Restaurant Equipment: A Guide For Commercial Kitchens

It’s no secret that there are plenty of advantages to serving fried chicken. Chicken is the world’s most popular protein, it can be fried in batches and held for hours, and it’s an incredibly profitable menu item. According to a recent Technomic report, chicken menu category sales have increased at an average rate of 12% since 2019.

Are you ready to get in the fried chicken game? Here’s the commercial kitchen equipment you’ll need to consider for your foodservice operation:

Chicken Fryers

When it comes to commercial deep fryers, operators have two main choices: open fryer or pressure fryer.

Pressure Fryers

If you’re serving bone-in fried chicken, you’ll probably want to invest in a pressure fryer. Pressure fryers consistently produce flavorful, tender, and juicy fried chicken every time. Plus, pressure frying is faster than any other method when cooking in high volumes.

Henny Penny offers several pressure fryer models to fit the needs of different commercial kitchens. We have standard pressure fryers for normal volume kitchens and Velocity Series pressure fryers for high-volume kitchens looking to save on oil, labor, and time.

Open Fryers

If you’re serving a variety of fried food items, an open fryer might be perfect for your operation. Open fryers produce a crispier product, increase overall throughput, and allow plenty of freedom for customization.

When looking at open fryers for your commercial kitchen, there are a few things to consider.

Are your menu items freezer-to-fryer or freshly breaded? Will your kitchen be frying in large quantities? Are you looking for an all-purpose “workhorse” fryer to handle all your menu needs? Or do you want something more advanced to improve operations, maintain consistent food quality, and save money?

Henny Penny offers a wide range of open frying platforms, so there are plenty of options for every unique kitchen.

All Henny Penny fryers include built-in oil filtration as a standard feature. This means oil filtration is no longer a chore and can be completed in just a few minutes at the touch of a button.

Still struggling to decide between open and pressure frying? Check out this in-depth blog covering the differences and similarities between the two frying methods.

Heated Holding Cabinets

When you’re serving fried chicken, a holding cabinet is one of the most valuable pieces of kitchen equipment you can invest in.

Since diners are embracing off-premises channels at an unprecedented rate, peak order times and volumes have fluctuated. At the same time, operators are struggling to keep their kitchens staffed with enough employees to handle the rush.

The answer to these challenges? Cooking in large batches and holding product until it’s ready to serve.

Today’s holding cabinets are much more than stainless steel hot boxes – they can keep fried chicken fresh for long periods without sacrificing product quality. This way, the chicken will still be moist on the inside with a golden crunch on the outside.

At Henny Penny, we offer two main options for holding cabinets: our standard cabinet, and the more advanced SmartHold model.

Our standard heated holding cabinet includes temperature control to keep fried chicken ready to serve at the recommended holding temperature. A simple water pan allows the cabinet to create steam and help maintain the chicken’s moisture.

Our SmartHold cabinets feature something a bit more advanced – precise humidity control. This is ideal for naturally moist products like fried chicken. SmartHold allows operators to hold fried chicken and almost any other food for up to 200% longer than most other holding cabinets.

According to our corporate executive chef Gregg Brickman, holding cabinets can relieve as much pressure for today’s kitchens as adding another employee or sous chef.

Breadings and Seasonings

Aside from your kitchen equipment, you’ll also want breadings and seasonings to bring your fried chicken menu to life with flavor and texture.

At Henny Penny, we offer an extensive collection of breading and seasoning formulations. There are options for every taste, menu, and health concern. Click here to explore flavor profiles and menu suggestions for each of our exclusive breadings and seasonings.

Want to get an expert involved? Work with the Henny Penny team to create a signature taste for your brand. Connect with your local distributor to get started!

There is a lot to consider regarding fried chicken restaurant equipment. And beyond the equipment itself, there is even more to think about.

How will the kitchen process flow? Where will you source frying oil and other product? How will you get customer service once the equipment has been installed?

Answer all these questions and more by downloading From Sourcing to Serving, a comprehensive guide from our chicken experts. It’s packed with 22 pages covering everything you need to know about adding chicken to your menu!