🍗 Fried Chicken
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside — classic fried chicken is all about seasoning, proper dredging, and oil temperature control.
📝 Classic Southern Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 3–4 lbs bone-in chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, breasts, wings)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (for extra crispiness)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
- Oil for frying (peanut or vegetable)
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate
Mix buttermilk and hot sauce.
Add chicken and refrigerate at least 4 hours (overnight is best).
2️⃣ Prepare Coating
Combine flour, cornstarch, and all seasonings in a large bowl.
3️⃣ Dredge
Remove chicken from marinade, letting excess drip off.
Coat thoroughly in flour mixture.
Press flour firmly onto chicken.
For extra crunch: dip back into buttermilk and re-coat (double dredge).
4️⃣ Fry
Heat oil to 325–350°F (165–175°C).
Fry in batches:
- Dark meat: 12–15 minutes
- Breasts: 14–18 minutes
Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
5️⃣ Rest
Place on wire rack (not paper towels) to stay crispy.
🔥 Pro Tips for Extra Crunch
- Add 1 tablespoon baking powder to flour.
- Drizzle a few tablespoons of buttermilk into flour and mix — creates craggly bits.
- Let coated chicken rest 10–15 minutes before frying.
- Maintain steady oil temperature.
🍽️ Classic Side Dishes
- Mashed potatoes & gravy
- Coleslaw
- Biscuits
- Mac and cheese
- Cornbread
🌎 Popular Variations
- Spicy Nashville-style (cayenne-heavy oil brushed on after frying)
- Buttermilk herb (add thyme & oregano)
- Korean-style (double-fried, tossed in sweet chili glaze)
- Oven “fried” chicken (baked with panko coating)
If you’d like, I can give you a crispy air-fryer version, pressure-fried copycat style, or a detailed spice blend breakdown.
