Why does fried chicken turn dark brown?

Answer

Fried chicken turns dark brown because of the Maillard Reaction. Fried Chicken is coated in a flour mixture, and flour contains proteins and sugars. When these two substances are heated together they form a number of new molecules that were not originally present. Some of the larger molecules have a brown color. When the chicken is left in the pan for a long enough time, or the heat in the pan is high enough, the reaction proceeds so far that some of the molecules begin to turn into carbon. This is when the coating goes from golden brown, to dark brown, to black. Avoid this by keeping the oil at a moderate temperature so the chicken can cook on the inside without becoming to Maillarded on the outside.

First answer by Budokai. Last edit by Starowicz. Contributor trust: 15 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 102 [recommend question]