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Ever wondered why some fried chicken is so irresistibly delicious? It’s because they not only include plenty of hearty protein and delicious salt, but monosodium glutamate or MSG. Rocco Carulli, owner and executive chef of R House, sat down with Food Republic for a chat about this misunderstood ingredient, discussing how it works and why it’s so key for the best fried chicken.
“MSG is like salt’s cooler, more sophisticated cousin,” said Carulli. “While salt enhances flavor by triggering your basic salt receptors, MSG hits the umami spot — that savory, can’t-stop-eating-this magic.” While umami flavor is present in many proteins, a little sprinkle of MSG really pushes it to the front, triggering the same parts of your brain that respond so happily to protein. Combined with all the other caveman instincts that love fried foods and salt, it makes fried chicken exponentially more delicious without making it taste over-seasoned.
“It brings out the natural richness in fried chicken without making it taste overly salty,” Carulli explained. “Think of it as the difference between ‘seasoned’ and ‘craveable.'” The utility of this ingredient is no real secret. Chick-fil-A puts MSG in its chicken and it’s one of the main reasons Wendy’s chili tastes so good. But it’s only recently started getting the credit it deserves, as dedicated researchers spent decades proving that all the false ideas about MSG’s effect on people’s health turned out to be wrong.
MSG in fried chicken is perfectly safe and delicious
If you grew up in the 90s, you likely heard all sorts of tall tales and scary stories about how MSG caused everything from headaches to numbness. While these tales were likely a nocebo effect caused by people expecting to feel ill or falsely attributing their ailments to MSG, the truth is that the big myth about MSG is rooted in racism.
“The MSG panic was basically bad PR from decades ago,” Rocco Carulli explained. “Science has debunked it — it’s safe, naturally found in tomatoes, cheese, even breast milk.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration classifies it as “generally regarded as safe” or GRAS. While the term may not sound 100% reassuring, plenty of kitchen staples, including black pepper and canola oil, are certified as GRAS. To put it simply, if you’re comfortable putting black pepper in your breading and frying your chicken in canola oil, you have absolutely nothing to fear.
“For fried chicken, a little goes a long way,” Carulli told us. “I usually recommend ¼ to ½ teaspoon per pound of meat or flour. It’s about balance — you’re not trying to taste the MSG; you’re trying to taste everything else more.” While MSG may be a magical flavor enhancer, it’s surprisingly affordable, especially when you purchase it online. A 16-ounce bag from Ajinomoto, the company that invented it, costs as little as $7, leaving you with enough for the foreseeable future, no matter how many batches you fry up.
