How to fix salty fried chicken

Oops! That pinch of salt turned into a small pile, and now your dinner is too salty to eat. What can you do? Don't panic or toss the entire dish. There are actually several ways to fix salty food. Here are some options to consider:

Water to the Rescue!

Rescue too-salty soups and sauces by adding a bit of water, sodium-free broth, or other liquid. Start with a small amount; then, taste the results; and add more until you get it right. You might need to add more solid foods to get the soup or sauce back to the desired consistency.

To fix over-salted meats, just give them a quick rinse under running water, and pat them dry with a paper towel when you're done.

You can also leach the salt out of salt pork or bacon that you find too salty by soaking it in water for at least two hours before you serve it.

Just Add Acid

Use an acidic ingredient, like white vinegar or lemon juice, to cut the saltiness of soups and sauces. A splash should be all it takes to dial back the saltiness.

Counteract It With Sweetness

Counteract all of that saltiness by stirring a pinch of sugar into soups, sauces or other liquids. Consider brown sugar for darker sauces.

Transform too-salty tomato sauces into a tomato cream sauce by adding a splash of cream to dial back the saltiness.

Add Bulk to the Dish

Toss in extra veggies, noodles, rice or other grains to bulk out a recipe, so it no longer tastes too salty to eat. You'll have extra food, but you won't be wasting money.

The Potato Fix: Fact or Fiction

Adding a single potato to a dish has long been touted as a way to remove excess salt. It may or may not work, and there is some debate in the cooking community about its effectiveness. However, the potato trick is worth trying if all else fails. Simply place a whole potato―skin and all―into your soup and cook as normal. Remove it before serving.

Tips for Preventing Food From Getting Too Salty

It's always easier to prevent overly salty foods than it is to fix them. Keep these tips in mind when cooking, and you may be able to avoid a repeat of the problem in the future.

Oversalting is a cook's worst nightmare, but you can recover from this all too common kitchen mistake with any one of these easy fixes. 

Dilute your dish

Adding a little bit of extra liquid can be a quick and simple way to correct oversalting a meal.  Just be extra careful not to dilute the delicious flavours that have been cultivated.  Here's how to do it: 

• Remove about ½ cup of the sauce and discard. Then replace the same amount of removed sauce with either salt-reduced stock, wine or unsalted tomato passata.
   
• Adding a liquid high in fat is another great alternative. Try plain yoghurt, coconut cream, cream or milk.
   
• A good rule of thumb is to add something that will dilute the salt but not the flavour, so don't use plain water; get creative and add something with a little extra oomph but not extra salt.
   

Double up

Kill two birds with one stone by doubling up the recipe.  Of course, you'll need some spare ingredients on hand but this approach will save your dish and put a few extra meals in the freezer ready for that time when you haven't done the shopping.  Here's what to do: 

• Make a second batch of the recipe BUT be sure to omit the salt completely.  If you've used full-flavoured, ready-made stock, then ideally go for a salt-reduced version.  If that's not possible, try replacing the stock with water.
   
• When the second batch is ready, simply mix it in with the original (now too salty) batch a little at a time until the saltiness has been balanced.

Bulk Up 

Give your recipe an extra dose of fibre, and quickly reduce the saltiness of your dish by adding any extra vegetables you may have on hand in the fridge, freezer or pantry. Try foods such as zucchini, greens like spinach or even sweet potato chunks. This will not only bulk up the dish but will help to dilute the saltiness as the extra vegetables simmer and release their liquid.

Sugar hit

Depending on the type of recipe, adding a little sugar or alternatives such as maple syrup or honey can help to balance the saltiness of the dish. This works wonderfully in Asian cuisines or any tomato-based dish. Start by adding very small amounts, stir well and taste constantly before deciding to add more.

Tart it up

Adding a splash of something acidic such as vinegar, lemon juice or even wine to an over-salted dish can help to correct your meal and give it an extra tasty tang. Begin by adding a tablespoon at a time, stir well and taste.

HOT TIP: Add the acid at the end of the cooking time to avoid curdling any dairy that may be in the dish.

Add a starch

Adding a small amount of starchy food such as rice, barley, quinoa, pasta or couscous can help to absorb a salty sauce. Depending on the dish, simmer or bake it with a splash of extra liquid to allow the grains to absorb the excess salt. 

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