Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

5 from 3 votes

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My southern fried chicken recipe has spicy buttermilk brine, seasoned flour and cornstarch for maximum crunch! Make this family favorite meal for the best crunchy, flavorful and juicy skillet fried chicken.

close up: 4 pieces of buttermilk fried chicken


Fried chicken is a classic southern recipe and there are as many recipes and versions for it as there are stars in the sky.

Some people make it with buttermilk, while others don’t brine the poultry at all. The flavor can vary from spicy to sweet, and texture can be simple or big and crispy. It’s all about what you define as true comfort food!

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

Keep in mind that this recipe is not heart healthy, low calorie, or low in fat; it’s an every now and then indulgence. Enjoy the meal for what it is… delicious, perfectly juicy meat with a big time crunch factor!

If you’d like to make something a bit on the healthier side, I have plenty of options for you! Make some oven fried chicken, Greek grilled chicken, harissa chicken, or Chinese steamed chicken.

plate of southern fried chicken on platter with lemon wedges and parsley

Ingredient and Equipment Notes

Best Oil for Frying

Vegetable oil is the one and it’s the cheapest. Typically a variety of plant based oils are combined and it’s a neutral flavor. Plus it has a high smoking point of 440° – 450°F. Second choice would be a vegetable shortening or lard and next peanut oil. Don’t use expensive olive oil, that’s wasteful and leaves a bitter taste.

Choosing the Frying Pan

Good old fashioned skillet fried chicken is almost always cooked in some sort of cast iron pan; whether it’s an actual skillet or Dutch oven doesn’t really matter. Because of its heavy weight and ability to retain heat, I think cast iron is the best choice for making skillet fried chicken.

A deep Dutch oven or stock pot cuts down on splash and cleanup, or you can use a portable deep fryer. I own a T-Fal brand, and it’s a beauty! The best part is that it has a filtration system that cleans the cooled oil after use into a storage container.

overhead: spices and flour in bowls for making southern fried chicken recipe

Video: Skillet Fried Chicken

To see the making of this recipe from start to finish, watch the video located in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

1. Brine: Start with a buttermilk brine, it’s what keeps the chicken moist and tender. Minimum 8 hours, 12 hours tops. Second choice would be a salt water brine (1 cup kosher salt to 1 gallon of water). I add Tabasco hot sauce to the brine, but that’s optional.

2. Dredging/Coating: I always use a well seasoned flour. I use regular AP flour, but add rice flour or cornstarch for that extra crunch and plenty of seasonings like paprika and celery salt.

Don’t just dredge it in the flour and fry it right away. Let the poultry marinate in the buttermilk brine overnight, 8-12 hours preferably, or 4 hours minimum. It allows the flour coating to get hydrated from the chicken and adhere to develop a better outer crust.

brined, dredged poultry pieces, ready for frying

3. Frying: Fry the chicken at a continuous 320°F, 10-12 minutes for the dark meat (smaller pieces) and 12-14 minutes for the larger sized pieces (whole half breast pieces). This way the outside doesn’t burn in the time it takes to cook the chicken completely.

If you don’t hear a sizzle as you gently lower that chicken in, stop and wait for that right temperature.

close up of crispy coated food out of the fryer

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe Tips

  1. Bring poultry to room temperature. Allow your chicken to come to room temperature before dropping it into the hot oil. Cold chicken directly from the refrigerator will drastically reduce the oil temp and it won’t be hot enough to crisp up the chicken.
  1. Preheat the oil. Get the oil temperature up to 350°-375°F before adding chicken. The temperature will drop when chicken goes in. Fry and keep it at a continuous 320-325°F.
  1. Don’t overcrowd the frying pan. Remember, you want to fry the chicken, not steam it.
  1. Use the correct amount of oil. If using a large Dutch oven, only fill 1/4 full with oil. If you’re using a deep skillet, add enough oil to fill it half way. You don’t want to drown or fully submerge the chicken; 3/4 of the depth of piece should be covered with oil.
  1. Use a cooking thermometer to determine doneness. Your southern fried chicken is finished cooking when a cooking thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of each piece reaches 163°F. As it rests after coming out of the oil, it will continue to cook to the food-safe temperature of 165°F.
  1. Rest and drain on a metal rack. Do not leave the fried chicken on paper towels to drain, place the pieces on a wire rack set over paper towels. This way, the coating won’t become soggy, causing a loss of that crunch you worked hard to achieve.

Talk about crunchtastic!

buttermilk brined poultry on white plate

What to serve with fried chicken?

  • Bacon Mac and Cheese Casserole
    I load it with crispy bacon, cheddar, mozzarella and cream cheeses. The perfect cheesy pasta dish. Topped with crunchy Panko breadcrumbs and baked to a bubbly, golden brown it’s an undeniable indulgence.
  • Classic Potato Salad
    To me the classic potato salad needs to have the right balance of sweet and savory, creamy, tender yet firm potatoes, and not an overload of mayonnaise. Let me show you How to Make the Classic Potato Salad. This is your new go to version.
  • Mexican Watermelon Salad
    Talk about refreshing! This Mexican Watermelon Salad is a spin on my Mexican Grilled Corn, and with only four ingredients, it’s made in minutes! It’s the perfect fruit salad to bring for any Summertime picnic, potluck or your weekend barbecue!
  • Root Beer Baked Beans
    Slow cooked, tender, sweet and savory, that sums up these Root Beer Baked beans. I use two different beans, root beer and lots of pantry staples with bacon for an out of this world, perfect side dish.
fried chicken legs and breasts on white platter

This post, originally published on Kevin is Cooking Aug. 30, 2013, was last updated with new content on Sept. 15, 2021.

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close up: 4 pieces of buttermilk southern fried chicken

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe + Video

5 from 3 votes
My southern fried chicken recipe has buttermilk brine, seasoned flour and cornstarch for maximum crunch! You'll love this comfort food meal!
Servings: 8
Prep: 12 hours
Cook: 12 minutes
Total: 12 hours 12 minutes

Ingredients 

Instructions 

Brining

  • To a large sealable container or plastic bag, add the chicken pieces, buttermilk and hot sauce. Mix to coat and refrigerate overnight (See Note 3).

Coating

  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch and seasonings. Set a wire cooling rack onto a large rimmed baking sheet.
  • Lift brined chicken out of buttermilk and dredge each piece in flour, turning and gently pressing to adhere all over. Place on wire rack and refrigerate 4 hours minimum or overnight (See Note 4).

Frying Chicken

  • Use a deep cast iron frying skillet, filled halfway with vegetable oil. If using a large Dutch oven, only fill 1/4 full and fry in batches.
  • TIP: Allow your chicken to come to room temperature before dropping it right into the hot oil. Cold, from the refrigerator, chicken will drastically alter the oil temp quickly.
  • Get the oil temperature up to 350°-375°F before adding chicken. The temperature will drop when chicken goes in. Fry and keep it at a continuous 320-325°F.
  • Don't over crowd your frying pan, you want to fry the chicken, not steam it! Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F internal temperature. (See Note 4)
  • Remove from hot oil and place on wire rack to cool. Season with salt if you like and serve.

Video

Notes

  1. Use one or two whole chickens, depending on how many people are being served. Have your butcher, or yourself, break down each bird by removing and discarding the backbone, then cut the chicken into 8 pieces – 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 drumsticks each.
  2. Oils for frying: I use peanut oil because it has a high smoke point (446°F), but any high smoke point oil or fat could be used. Good choices are lard, peanut oil, soybean oil, vegetable oil, grape seed oil, canola oil, corn oil, coconut oil, or ghee.
  3. Brine for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours. Another option is a salt water brine (1 cup kosher salt for every 1 gallon of water).
  4. Dredging/Coating: I always use a well seasoned flour. I use regular AP flour, but add rice flour or cornstarch for that extra crunch and plenty of seasonings like paprika and celery salt.
    Don’t just dredge it in the flour and fry away. Let this sit overnight, 8-12 hours preferably, or 4 hours minimum. It allows the flour coating to get hydrated from the chicken and adhere to develop a better outer crust.
  5. Frying: Fry the chicken at a continuous 320°F, 10-12 minutes for the dark meat smaller pieces and 12-14 minutes for the larger sized pieces (whole half breast pieces). 6-8 minutes for chicken strips. This way the outside doesn’t burn in the time it takes to cook the chicken completely. Times may vary depending on sizes of chicken pieces. Just be sure internal temp registers 165°F cooked. ** If you don’t hear a sizzle as you gently lower that chicken in, stop and wait for that right temperature.
  6. Bake in Oven: If you don’t want to fry the chicken you can BAKE IT IN THE OVEN. Spray the brined, dredged chicken with cooking spray on both sides and bake in a 425° F oven for 20 minutes, turn over and bake for another 20 minutes, or until crispy. Just be sure internal temp registers 165°F cooked.

Nutrition

Calories: 691kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 49g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 183mg | Sodium: 908mg | Potassium: 628mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 655IU | Vitamin C: 4.9mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 3.6mg

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Course: Dinners
Cuisine: American, Southern
Have You Made This Recipe? Let Me Know on InstagramTag @keviniscooking or tag me #keviniscooking!
titled image of skillet fried chicken on white plate

Kevin

Whether in the kitchen or on the grill, you’ll find me cooking American favorites with a love for BBQ, Mexican and Tex Mex. I’m passionate about making tasty food because life’s too short to be bland!

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10 Comments

  1. Hi I’m in the UK and follow your receipes, which are fantastic. However your e-,ails are all coming thru to SPAM saying “Unsafe”. Any ideas, at the start they were fine.

  2. Hey Kevin! This chicken looks perfect! I don’t fry chicken often, but when I do I brine it in buttermilk and Tabasco like you. Thanks for tip on letting the chicken sit after dredging it in the flour! I usually cut the breasts in half vertically so they cook for the same time as the dark meat. My cast iron skillet is talking to me right now. Baked beans and potato salad are my favorites to serve with fried chicken.

    1. We are two peas in a pod food wise Dorothy! Have a wonderful 4th of July and all my best to you and Gary!

  3. Gonna make this chicken. Do have a ?? After you have coated the chicken in the flour mix and you refrigerate……..do you let your chicken loose a bit of the refrigerator chill first?
    Also, love that your dog was in the video! 🙂

    1. Not sure I understand your question Stefani. If you’re asking if I bring to room temperature before frying, then yes. Allow your chicken to come to room temperature before dropping it right into the hot oil. Cold, from the refrigerator chicken will drastically alter the oil temp quickly.

  4. 5 stars
    omg, Kevin. Drooling over here! Fried chicken is my kryptonite and yours looks like crispy, juicy perfection!

  5. 5 stars
    OMG Kevin! I just made fried chicken last night for my son Sean’s birthday! I haven’t made it in quite a long time and I have to say, it was just so-so. I think next time I will definietly try yours. Your coating looks better than the recipe I made. Love the video! Pinned and can’t wait to try!

    1. Thanks so much for the high praise (or expectation?!) Mary Ann, hope you guys enjoy as much as we do! Happy 4th! 🙂