One home cook has taken Reddit’s r/Cooking community by storm after discovering a game-changing ingredient that turned their ordinary fried chicken sandwich into what they call the “best chicken sandwich” their husband has ever had, and it’s not what you might expect.
Reddit user Hbj0002 shared their experience in a post titled “Used MSG for the first time tonight to make fried chicken sandwiches,” and the online community quickly took notice. The key ingredient behind the transformation is monosodium glutamate, more commonly known as MSG.
Often surrounded by decades-old controversy and confusion, MSG is an umami-rich flavour enhancer found naturally in foods like tomatoes, mushrooms, and cheese.
In recent years, the ingredient has made a strong comeback as chefs and food lovers challenge the myths and embrace its ability to intensify flavour.
In the now-viral post, Hbj0002 explained their method: “Marinated the chicken in pickle juice for a few hours. Added a sprinkle of MSG directly to the meat and in the flour mixture, as well as rubbed bits of buttermilk into the flour to create crispy bits to stick to the chicken.”
The combination of techniques, from brining in pickle juice to the double use of MSG, created a result so delicious it left their husband stunned.
The user wrote, “Officially the best chicken sandwich my husband has ever had. Consider me converted.”
Fellow Redditors flocked to the comments to show support, with many agreeing that MSG deserves more love in home kitchens.
Some users offered their own tips for incorporating it into other dishes, while others shared that they too had recently discovered MSG’s culinary power.
MSG has long been misunderstood, but scientific studies have debunked the idea that it’s harmful in moderation, especially in the small amounts typically used for home cooking.
With more home cooks like Hbj0002 experimenting with it and reporting delicious results, MSG appears to be earning a rightful place in the spice racks of everyday kitchens.
As the Redditor summed it up: “MSG is my new secret ingredient. Thank you r/Cooking for educating me!”