Effects of Baegjinju Rice Flour Particle Size on Flour Functionality and Quality Characteristics of Batter-Coated Deep-Fat-Fried Chicken

Although Baegjinju rice flour is widely used in Korea, its functionality in meat batter systems remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of Baegjinju rice flour particle size (approximately 60–177 µm) on flour physicochemical and pasting properties, rice flour gel texture, and the quality characteristics of batter-coated deep-fat-fried chicken. Rice flour was sieved into fractions and formulated into batters for chicken coating, and frying performance was assessed by measuring batter pick-up, cooking loss, moisture content, and texture with a conventional wheat flour batter included as a practical reference. As particle size decreased, water-holding capacity and heating viscosity increased, markedly increasing batter pick-up (7.54–36.68%) and reducing cooking loss (41.82–16.40%). Finer rice flour batters also improved moisture retention and reduced hardness, yielding texture comparable to that of wheat flour-coated samples. Rice flour particle size influenced hydration behavior, coating performance, and fried-product quality, supporting the use of finely fractionated Baegjinju rice flour in fried chicken batter applications.