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Whether you’re grilling indoors on a cast-iron skillet or enjoying the outdoors with a barbecue grill or pellet smoker, the style of barbecue is often influenced by regional tastes. From the tangy vinegar and mustard-based sauces of North Carolina to the sweeter barbecue sauces of Kansas City, barbecue aficionados rarely agree on a single recipe.
While New York’s Hudson Valley might not be the first place that comes to mind for barbecue destinations, a surprisingly straightforward chicken recipe, created by a poultry professor at Cornell University, has gained considerable popularity among grillers and barbecue enthusiasts in the Northeast.
First released approximately 75 years ago by Cornell’s Robert C. Baker, Cornell chicken relies on fundamental food science principles and has attained iconic status in the region. You can still find it featured on restaurant menus and at family gatherings when the weather is pleasant.
To prepare Cornell chicken, you’ll need bone-in chicken, apple cider vinegar, cooking oil, essential spices or a poultry spice blend, and a cooking surface—ideally, hot coals. However, I’ve found that using a heated skillet or an air fryer yields nearly equivalent results.
Why is Cornell Chicken So Popular?
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According to many, Baker essentially authored the definitive guide to barbecue chicken after extensive recipe experimentation in the 1950s. Discontent with the lack of flavor in American cuisine at the time, he crafted this recipe to facilitate serving delicious food on a large scale at sizable cookouts.
“Cornell chicken,” as it is commonly known, is remarkably simple and remains a highly praised chicken marinade and summer cookout recipe. Cornell chicken is often served at restaurants, particularly in upstate New York near the university, as well as at family picnics, food fairs, and festivals across the nation.
What Makes Cornell Chicken Unique?
Cornell chicken incorporates an unusual element: a beaten egg. The egg provides a creamy coating that helps the chicken skin crisp up without burning. Poultry seasoning is added for additional flavor complexity, while vinegar contributes tanginess and aids in marinade penetration.
If you’re wondering how to prepare Cornell chicken, the process is straightforward, involving just five ingredients and a cooking technique similar to traditional barbecue chicken. This marinade is vinegar-based, aligning more with Carolina-style barbecue than the sweeter Kansas City or St. Louis varieties. Baker recommends using a charcoal grill to prevent excessive flames from cooking the skin unevenly.
How to Prepare Perfect Cornell Chicken
Ingredients
- Bone-in chicken pieces
- 1/2 cup vegetable cooking oil
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1.5 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 beaten egg
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Step 1: Beat the egg. Incorporate the oil and beat again.
- Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.
- Step 3: Add the chicken pieces and mix, ensuring they are fully coated. Refrigerate for at least three hours, or up to 24 hours.
- Step 4: Position the coated chicken on a medium-high grill (Baker recommends charcoal) or heated cast-iron skillet. Reserve any leftover marinade.
- Step 5: Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping and basting the chicken with leftover sauce every five minutes. Begin with a light basting and gradually increase the amount toward the end of cooking.
- Step 6: Cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Can You Prepare Cornell Chicken in an Air Fryer?
Yes, and I did! I placed half of my batch in the air fryer and the other half over a high flame, according to Baker’s original method. Both techniques yielded good results. The grill delivered a slightly more caramelized char, while the air fryer was quicker and easier to clean up.
Can Any Type of Chicken Be Used for Cornell Chicken?
Baker’s original recipe suggests using broilers (small whole chickens). However, this recipe is adaptable to any bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces. While you can use boneless, skinless chicken, you won’t achieve the desired crispy skin that is a hallmark of Baker’s Cornell chicken recipe.
Some online forum users have even experimented with using the Cornell chicken recipe on wings with considerable success. A user from the r/Wings subreddit shared their successful Cornell chicken wings, following the same basic six-step process outlined in Baker’s original recipe.
If you’re not inclined to make the sauce from scratch, explore the options for the best store-bought barbecue sauces.
Watch this: Best Air Fryers: Cheap vs. Expensive
Cornell Chicken FAQs
What is the most important ingredient for Cornell chicken?
Besides the obvious – bone-in chicken – apple cider vinegar is perhaps the most critical component of the Cornell chicken marinade. It imparts a distinct “tang” and a depth of flavor that characterizes Baker’s barbecue recipe. Adding the egg is equally vital as it assists in crisping the skin.
An extensive investigation of online discussions showed that Chiavetta’s Barbecue Marinade is based on the Cornell chicken recipe. It serves as an outstanding store-bought substitute marinade for attaining analogous flavor profiles.