The Ultimate Guide to Making “Not Fried Chicken” Ice Cream at Home

Have you ever seen those viral TikTok videos of what looks like a bucket of crispy fried chicken but is actually ice cream? I was blown away the first time I saw it. and I just had to figure out how to make this mind-bending dessert at home!

Today, I’m sharing my step-by-step guide to creating your own “Not Fried Chicken” ice cream – a fun dessert that looks exactly like crispy fried chicken but tastes like delicious vanilla ice cream. This optical illusion dessert is perfect for summer cookouts, April Fool’s Day, or anytime you want to seriously impress your guests!

What Is “Not Fried Chicken” Ice Cream?

Let me clear something up right away – this dessert doesn’t taste like chicken at all! It’s actually vanilla ice cream shaped to look like chicken pieces (drumsticks, tenders, or nuggets), then coated in white chocolate and crushed cornflakes to mimic the appearance of crispy fried chicken skin

The original “Not Fried Chicken” ice cream was created by Life Raft Treats but their version can be pricey and hard to get. Our homemade version is budget-friendly and just as impressive!

What You’ll Need

For the Vanilla Ice Cream:

• 2 cups cold heavy cream
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the “Fried Chicken” Coating:

• 1½ cups white chocolate chips (Ghirardelli or Godiva work great)
• 2 tablespoons refined coconut oil
• 3 cups cornflakes, crushed

Equipment:

• Stand mixer or hand mixer with whisk attachment
• 9×9 baking dish or 8×4 loaf pan
• Parchment paper
• Large silicone spatula
• Cutting board
• Long sharp knife (serrated works well)
• Baking sheet
• Large shallow bowl or plate
• Medium microwave-safe bowl
• Small silicone spatula

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making the Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream Base

1. Prep your equipment: About 15 minutes before starting, put your mixing bowl and whisk attachment in the refrigerator. Super cold equipment helps the cream whip better!

2. Prepare your pan: Line your baking dish with parchment paper, leaving enough hanging over two sides to use as “handles” later.

3. Whip the cream: Pour the cold heavy cream into your chilled bowl and start whisking on medium-low for about 30-60 seconds. Then increase to medium-high and whisk until soft peaks form. Reduce to medium speed and continue until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip! (I’ve done this before and it gets grainy – not good!)

4. Add remaining ingredients: Gently fold in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. The mixture should be smooth and fluffy.

5. Freeze the base: Transfer the mixture to your prepared baking dish, smoothing it into an even layer. Freeze uncovered for at least 8 hours, but overnight works best.

Forming and Coating Your “Chicken” Pieces

1. Prep your workspace: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Cut the ice cream: Remove your frozen ice cream block from the freezer. If possible, lift it out using the parchment paper handles. Using a knife warmed under hot water (dry it off first!), cut the ice cream into chicken shapes – nuggets, strips, or drumsticks.

3. Re-freeze the shapes: Place your shaped ice cream pieces on the prepared baking sheet and freeze for another 2 hours until solid.

4. Prepare the “breading”: While waiting, crush your cornflakes and place them in a shallow bowl or plate.

5. Melt the chocolate: In a microwave-safe bowl, combine white chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave at 50% power in 15-second intervals, stirring between each, until completely melted and smooth.

6. Coat the ice cream: Working quickly with one piece at a time, dip or roll each ice cream shape in the melted white chocolate. I find it easiest to use a fork to hold the ice cream in the bowl, or you can skewer it and spoon the chocolate over.

7. Add the “breading”: Immediately transfer the chocolate-coated ice cream to the crushed cornflakes. Press lightly to coat all sides, then return to the baking sheet.

8. Final freeze: Once all pieces are “breaded,” freeze them for at least 1 hour until the coating is set.

Chef’s Tips for Perfect “Not Fried Chicken” Ice Cream

1. Work in batches: If your kitchen is warm, don’t try to do all the pieces at once. Keep most of the ice cream in the freezer while you work with just a few pieces at a time.

2. The hot knife trick: Warming your knife under hot water before each cut makes slicing frozen ice cream SO much easier. Just remember to dry it completely before cutting!

3. Quality matters: Use good quality white chocolate for the best results. Cheap white chocolate can be grainy or might not melt properly.

4. Serve with “dipping sauces”: For an extra fun presentation, serve your ice cream chicken with sweet dipping sauces like caramel, honey, chocolate sauce, or strawberry sauce!

5. Storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Why I Love This Recipe

I’m not gonna lie – the first time I made these, my kids were SUPER confused! The look on their faces when they bit into what looked like a chicken nugget but tasted like vanilla ice cream was priceless!

This dessert is perfect for:

• Summer BBQs and cookouts
• April Fool’s Day pranks
• Birthday parties (especially for chicken lovers!)
• Any time you want to wow your guests

The best part is that it’s actually pretty simple to make. The homemade ice cream only requires 3 ingredients, and the coating process is fun (if a bit messy). My 9-year-old loves helping crush the cornflakes while I handle the chocolate dipping.

Common Questions

Q: Can I use store-bought ice cream instead of making my own?
A: Absolutely! Just let it soften slightly so you can shape it, then refreeze before coating.

Q: My white chocolate seized up. What happened?
A: This usually happens if water gets into the chocolate or if it’s heated too quickly. Make sure your bowl is completely dry, and microwave at 50% power in short bursts, stirring frequently.

Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
A: Yes! These actually keep really well in the freezer for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.

Q: Any variations I can try?
A: You can use different ice cream flavors as the base – cookie dough, cake batter, or even strawberry would be delicious! Just keep in mind that darker ice creams won’t look as much like real chicken.

The Secret to Working with Ice Cream Without Making a Mess

Let me share my biggest tip for working with ice cream – a dedicated “ice cream” zone in your freezer! I clear a shelf and keep the baking sheet there, so whenever I need to take a break, I can quickly slide everything back into the freezer without ice cream melting everywhere.

Also, having a bowl of ice nearby to rest your utensils on helps keep everything cold between steps. Trust me, this saves so much frustration!

Final Thoughts

Making “Not Fried Chicken” ice cream at home is definitely a showstopper dessert that’ll have everyone talking (and laughing). While it takes a bit of time with all the freezing steps, the actual hands-on work is pretty simple, and the results are SO worth it!

I’ve made these for several summer gatherings now, and they’re always the first dessert to disappear. There’s something undeniably fun about biting into what looks like crispy fried chicken and getting creamy vanilla ice cream instead!

Happy ice cream making (and fooling)!

Have you ever tried making desserts that look like other foods? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below!