Ah, fried chicken—the ultimate comfort food! 🍗 Let’s go step by step for crispy, golden, juicy fried chicken that’s as good as any restaurant.
Ingredients (for 4 servings / 8 pieces)
Chicken:
- 8 pieces chicken (drumsticks, thighs, breasts, or a mix)
- 2 cups buttermilk (for marinating)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Optional: 1 tsp paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne for extra flavor
For dredging:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Optional: pinch of cayenne for heat
For frying:
- Vegetable oil or peanut oil (enough to deep fry, ~2–3 inches in a pan)
Instructions
1. Marinate the chicken
- Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, combine chicken with buttermilk, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, and optional spices.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, ideally overnight. This keeps it juicy and tender.
2. Prepare the coating
- In a shallow bowl, mix flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and optional cayenne.
3. Coat the chicken
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently so it sticks.
- For extra crunch, double-dip: back in buttermilk, then flour again.
4. Fry
- Heat oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Carefully add chicken in batches (don’t overcrowd).
- Fry 12–15 minutes for drumsticks/thighs, 8–10 minutes for breasts, turning occasionally, until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F (75°C).
- Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain.
5. Serve
- Serve hot with your favorite sides: mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or corn on the cob.
💡 Tips for perfect fried chicken:
- Keep oil temperature steady; too hot → burns outside, too low → greasy chicken.
- Don’t cover fried chicken; keeping it uncovered preserves crispiness.
- Spice the flour coating generously—it’s where the flavor really shines.
If you want, I can give you a crispy oven-baked version that’s much healthier but still golden and crunchy, perfect if you don’t want to deep-fry.
Do you want me to do that?
