Deep Fried Chicken Legs
Deep-fried chicken legs are an all-time favorite, and for good reason! Their juicy interior, made even more soul-satisfying with the tasty, crispy breading, is finger-licking good. And they come together quickly and easily!
About a week ago, I found myself in a bit of a bind. It was my son’s football team party, and showing up empty-handed was unthinkable. I needed something fast, delicious, and satisfying for a bunch of hungry teenagers.
These deep-fried chicken legs were a lifesaver! They’re easy, affordable, and downright irresistible. They flew off the table in no time, and I regretted not making more. Their crispy skin and juicy, fall-off-the-bone meat made them a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!
The Best Oil for Deep Frying
Choosing the right oil for deep frying can feel daunting because of all that’s available. But two things are worth considering—flavor and smoke point. You want an oil that won’t begin to smoke and become bitter at a high temperature. And a neutral flavor won’t overpower the chicken.
Generally, vegetable oil works because its high smoke points and neutral flavors let your seasonings shine. Peanut oil is also great if you don’t have an allergy and love the pleasantly nutty taste. Safflower and canola oils seem to be healthier choices because of their higher smoke point (450°F/232℃) and lower saturated fat.
How to Deep Fry Chicken Legs
- Marinate and bread the chicken legs.
- Heat the oil and fry the breaded chicken legs until golden brown. It usually takes about 20 minutes, give or take a few minutes.
Recipe Tips and Twists
- Let the breaded chicken legs rest before frying. That allows the breading to crust and the chicken to cook evenly.
- You can use whatever cut of meat you like for this recipe. Chicken thighs or wings both work. And pork chops love this recipe.
- Double up on the cayenne, red pepper, and hot sauce in the marinade if you love spice.
- Make this ideal comfort food almost healthy by spritzing the air fryer basket and the chicken legs with cooking oil. Preheat your air fryer to moderately hot (375℉/190℃) and arrange the breaded chicken legs in the basket in a single layer. Cook the chicken legs for about 20 minutes.
- Oil that’s too hot will burn the skin before the center is done, and oil that’s not hot enough will make soggy and greasy chicken legs. Around 325-350°F (160-175°C) delivers the happy medium.
- Move your fried chicken from the paper towel to the rack as quickly as possible so it doesn’t stick and start to steam.
Make-Ahead and Storage Instructions
For making ahead, marinate and bread your chicken legs, then refrigerate in an airtight container or ziplock bag for a day or two. You could also freeze them for a month or two at this point.
If frozen, thaw the chicken overnight in the fridge. When ready to heat up the oil, bring the chicken to room temperature for about 30 minutes (not much longer for food safety). Fry per the recipe instructions.
You can refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container or zip-top bag for 3-4 days or freeze them for 3-4 months. Reheat them in a hot oven or air fryer. Leftovers are great for chicken salad sandwiches.
What to Serve With Deep-Fried Chicken Legs
Deep-fried chicken legs are delicious and versatile, served with many side dishes. A family favorite is sweet and savory fried chicken and waffles. Garlic mashed potatoes, easy coleslaw, and buttermilk biscuits will never steer you wrong for lunch or dinner ideas.
More Tasty Fried Chicken Recipes to Try
- Southern Fried Chicken
- Fried Chicken Gizzards
- Oven-Fried Chicken
- Fried Chicken Wings
- Fried Chicken Livers
Watch How to Make It
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Deep Fried Chicken Legs
Ingredients
The Chicken Marinade
- 4-5 pounds (2-2½kg) chicken legs (about 10 legs)
- 1½-2 teaspoons (9-12g) salt (adjust to preference)
- 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½-1 tablespoon (15g) hot sauce
- 2-3 teaspoons (10-15g) Creole seasoning
- 4 cups (1L) buttermilk (for marinating and coating)
Seasoned Breading
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (120g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
- 1 tablespoon (9g) paprika
- 2 tablespoons (30g) garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons (22g) onion powder
- 1-1½ tablespoons (2-3g) dried herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon (3g) cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon (3g) white pepper
- 1 teaspoon (6g) salt (adjust to taste)
- cooking oil enough for deep frying (1½-1¾ inch in your pan or fryer)
Instructions
- Place the chicken legs in a large bowl, and season with salt, crushed garlic, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning.
- Pour enough of the buttermilk to cover and thoroughly coat the chicken legs. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for around 4 hours (or overnight).
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, herbs, cayenne pepper, white pepper, and salt in a large bowl.
- Remove the marinated chicken legs from the buttermilk and let them drain. Dredge them in the breading mixture and shake off excess flour.
- Dip the chicken legs in the remaining buttermilk (add fresh buttermilk as needed), and dredge them again in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Repeat this process if you like thicker breading.
- Let the chicken legs rest for 10-15 minutes while heating the oil so the coating sticks better.
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or cast-iron skillet to 375℉ (190℃). The temperature will drop once you add chicken, so you want to start higher than the recommended 325-350℉ (160-180℃).
- Slowly and carefully place the chicken legs in the hot oil using tongs. Work in batches, so you avoid overcrowding the skillet.
- Fry them until golden brown, turning once every 10 minutes. Chicken legs are done when no longer pink inside and the juices run clear (an instant-read thermometer will read 175℉/80℃). You may also do a test by piercing a chicken leg with a fork.
- Drain the chicken legs on paper towels and then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Repeat with the remaining chicken legs. Let them rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes:
- Let the breaded chicken legs rest before frying. That allows the breading to crust and the chicken to cook evenly.
- Fry chicken in a neutral-flavored oil (not olive oil) that can handle high temperatures (canola, vegetable, and peanut oil work).
- Don’t overcrowd your pan with chicken legs because it lowers the oil’s temperature and slows the cooking time (soggy chicken isn’t good). Do it in small batches instead.
- A cast-iron pan is excellent for perfectly cooked fried chicken legs because it holds the temperature better and heats evenly, resulting in perfectly cooked chicken.
- Rather than deep frying or submerging your chicken legs entirely into the pan or deep fryer, only ¾ of the chicken legs should be covered in hot oil. The weight of the chicken legs will cause them to sit just above the oil’s surface, creating a crispy crust without burning.
- Don’t let anything fried sit on a paper towel too long because it’ll start to steam, making soggy chicken that sticks to the paper towel. Instead, drain your chicken using a wire rack over a baking sheet, and keep them in a warm oven while you finish frying the rest.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
OMG, these look awesome. Can’t wait to try them!
Hi Glen,
I’m so thrilled to hear you’re excited about the recipe! Trust me, your taste buds are in for a real treat. There’s nothing like the joy of creating something delicious in your own kitchen, right? ✨
Don’t forget to snap some pics when you make it—I’d love to see your culinary masterpiece. And if you have any tweaks or tips after you’ve tried it, I’m all ears. Happy cooking and even happier eating! ️