Par-Fried vs. Fully Cooked: What to Know When Choosing Chicken
When you want to serve breaded chicken but don’t have the time or labor needed to prepare it, you’ll often look to par-fried and fully cooked pre-breaded products. But, between the two, which is right for your operation? Here’s a look at the differences and how to choose the right one for you.
What is Par-Fried Chicken?
Par-fried chicken (also called “partially cooked” or “prebrowned”) has been breaded and partially cooked by way of a short frying cycle before being frozen. The chicken is still raw on the inside, but the breading is set. When you’re ready to prepare a par-fried chicken option, you remove the desired pieces from the freezer, fry or bake them to an internal temperature of 165° F, and serve!
Benefits of Serving Par-Fried Chicken
- Since preparation is finished in-house, par-fried chicken has the juiciness of chicken that was prepared fresh.
- Par-fried chicken lets you dial up the crispiness of the breading, since it stays in the fryer longer than fully cooked chicken.
- Because it hasn’t been fully cooked before, there’s less chance of drying par-fried chicken out by overcooking.
What is Fully Cooked Chicken?
Fully cooked breaded chicken has been cooked all the way through, then frozen. You can simply heat and serve without worrying about needing to reach a food safe temperature because the manufacturer already handled that part for you.
Benefits of Serving Fully Cooked Chicken
- Fully cooked chicken requires less time—in the fryer, it’s often 1-2 minutes less than par-fried chicken.
- Using fully cooked chicken means staff and surfaces don’t touch raw chicken, so there’s much less risk of cross-contamination.
So, Which is Right for You?
Does your operation serve scratch-made dishes? Par-fried chicken might fit in better with your menu options because the juicy chicken and crispy breading are more reminiscent of fresh chicken that’s been breaded back-of-house.
Does your staff have time to temp pieces of chicken to ensure they’ve been fully cooked? Par-fried is a great option for you.
Do you often have new staff members working in your kitchen? Fully cooked is a great choice for maximum food safety for staff and customers.
Do you have a high-volume kitchen with unpredictable rushes of traffic? You may prefer fully cooked for consistency and efficiency.
Do your guests need their food fast, such as at concession stands, drive-thrus, and cafeteria lines? Fully cooked chicken is an ideal choice for saving time.
Still Weighing Your Options?
We can help! We’ve been in the business for 100 years, so we know what works best for different types of eateries, menus, and kitchens. Contact us.
