Description
Southern fried chicken is the crispy, golden dish that brings everyone to the table with its perfectly seasoned crust and tender meat inside. Making it at home means you get that authentic flavor just the way you like it, with simple ingredients and straightforward steps that even beginners can master.
Ingredients
Scale
Base Ingredients:
- 4 pounds of cut-up chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts)
- 2 cups buttermilk
Coating and Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 0.5 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking Fat:
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Pat your 4 pounds of chicken pieces dry with paper towels to remove surface moisture, which helps the skin get crispier during frying.
- Mix together 1 tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1 teaspoon onion powder in a small bowl.
- Place your chicken pieces in a large bowl and sprinkle the seasoning mixture over them, tossing until each piece is evenly coated with the spices.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate your seasoned chicken for at least 30 minutes so the flavors soak in properly.
- Pour 2 cups of buttermilk into one shallow bowl for dunking your chicken pieces.
- Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour with 1/2 cup cornstarch in another shallow bowl, mixing thoroughly so your coating comes out even.
- Remove each chicken piece from the buttermilk and let excess drip off before rolling it in your flour mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks well.
- Arrange your breaded chicken on a clean plate and let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you heat your oil.
- Heat enough vegetable oil in a deep skillet to submerge your chicken, bringing it to 350°F over medium-high heat.
- Carefully place your coated chicken pieces into the hot oil, making sure not to crowd the pan, and fry for 5 to 7 minutes per side until the coating turns golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Transfer your finished chicken to a wire rack or paper towels so excess oil drains away completely.
- Let your chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving so the juices settle throughout the meat.
Notes
- Let your chicken pieces sit in the seasoning mix for at least 30 minutes since this time allows the flavors to really penetrate the meat rather than just coating the surface.
- Pat the chicken completely dry before seasoning because any moisture on the skin prevents that crispy, golden crust from forming during frying.
- Press the breadcrumb coating gently onto each piece so it sticks properly and doesn’t fall off into the hot oil, which would burn and create mess.
- Keep the oil temperature steady at around 350°F and avoid crowding the pan, as adding too many pieces at once drops the temperature and results in greasy rather than crispy chicken.
- Rest the fried chicken for a few minutes after cooking so the juices settle back into the meat, keeping each bite tender and moist.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
- Category: More Fried Chicken
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 130 mg