Southern Fried Chicken – classic Southern chicken recipe that is crunchy and crusty on the outside and juicy and flavorful on the inside; infused with spices and seasonings and soaked in buttermilk to amp up the flavor. A great addition to your chicken recipe collection!
When you think of Southern food, the recipes that always come to mind are cornbread, gumbo, grits and, of course, this king of all kings — fried chicken.
Well, as much as I push myself to consistently put greens on my table, I just can’t seem to easily get away with it, especially when we’re talking about chicken. It has been a part of the family’s diet ever since. And as I get older, I develop a fondness for collecting various fried or baked chicken recipes.
You don’t believe me? Check the rest of my site and you’ll see a parade of chicken recipes that are always at the top of my most searched recipes. 😉
Some folks like to soak their chicken in buttermilk hours ahead of time while others get right to coating. Soaking chicken in buttermilk leaves it tender and moist on the inside and helps the coating stick to the chicken easily. I soak mine right before frying, just my personal preference.
Double dip? Do the double dip y’all. Double dipping your chicken in buttermilk after dredging them with flour makes the chicken super crispy. You can thank me later.
And when it comes to the flour mixture, I don’t skimp on the seasonings. You can keep it simple with flour and salt and pepper or go the extra mile for that ultra flavorful crust during your first bite.
This Southern Fried Chicken will be your go-to chicken recipe as it is brimming with flavors, plus a lovely texture. Indeed, a total crowd-pleaser. So don’t doubt yourself when it comes to your cooking skills. You don’t need to be as good as Grandma to whip up a flavorful batch of fried chicken.
And oh, don’t forget to pair this with another Southern staple, Buttermilk Biscuits. Yes, they do make a perfect combo. Now get ready and brace your jeans….wait…what?? Never mind. Just dig in! 😀
And who cares about your jeans size when this is what you have on your table. Enjoy!
Tips and Notes:
- After you flour coat and dip your chicken in buttermilk, let it rest first before frying it. This will allow your chicken to form a crust and warm to room temperature which will help it cook through evenly.
- When frying, make sure that your oil is at the right preheated temperature. If it’s too hot, the outside of your chicken will get burned, if it’s cold, the chicken will get soggy and greasy.
- Do not ever use extra virgin olive oil on fried chicken as it’ll result to a bitter-tasting meat. Go for a neutral-tasting oil like canola, vegetable or, most preferably, peanut oil.
- Do not over crowd your pan with chicken as this will lower down the oil’s temperature and hasten up the cooking time. Do it in small batches instead.
- Cast iron pan is a must for a perfectly cooked fried chicken as it holds the temperature well and heat evenly which also results to a perfectly cooked chicken.
- Rather than deep frying or submerging your chicken entirely into the pan or deep fryer, only 3/4 of the chicken should be covered in hot oil. The weight of the chicken will cause it to sit just almost above the surface of the oil which will create a crispy crust without burning.
- Don’t let anything fried sit on a paper towel too long as it’ll start to steam and make it soggy. Instead, drain your chicken using a wire rack over a baking sheet. They’ll cool crisp and dry off all at once easily.
Watch How to Make It
Southern Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into 10 pieces
- 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons salt adjust to preference
- ½ -1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 3-4 garlic crushed
- 2-3 teaspoons creole seasoning
Chicken Coating
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1- 1 1/2 tablespoon dried herbs Thyme, Oregano, Parsley
- 4 cups buttermilk
Instructions
- Place chicken in a large bowl or Large ziploc. Then seasoned with salt followed by all the crushed garlic, hot sauce and creole seasoning.
- Pour buttermilk in the marinated chicken, transfer the chicken to a gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, herbs and white pepper.
- Remove all the marinated chicken from the buttermilk . Then dredge in flour mixture, shaking any excess flour. You may use a Ziploc bag for this process, too.
- Double dip the chicken in the remaining buttermilk( add fresh buttermilk as needed) followed by the flour mixture - shake off any excess flour. Let the chicken rest for about 10-15 minutes while preparing oil. This will help the coating to stay on better.
Frying the Chicken
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or cast iron skillet to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Temperature will drop once you add chicken.
- Using a tong and carefully and slowly place the chicken in the hot oil. Work in batches. Do not overcrowd the skillet.
- Fry the chicken until golden brown, turning once every 10 to 20 minutes - depending on the size of the pieces. Chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and its juices run clear. You may do a test by piercing the chicken with a fork.
- Drain the chicken on paper towels and then transfer them on a wire rack. (see notes)
- Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
How to Make Southern Fried Chicken
Audrey says
This chicken was delicious. It was moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside. My 4 y.o. daughter who does not eat chicken skin, actually asked for more after tasting a piece. The spice mix was perfect. I have to admit though, that I finished it in the oven. I believe in following recipe I am trying for the 1st time to a “T”; but I let my oil overheat, so the outside browned too quickly while the inside was still undercooked. I popped it in the oven at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes to let it finish cooking. Thanks Imma, I have never been let down by one of your recipes.
ImmaculateBites says
Yay! Am So Thrilled! Love when the kids give a stamp of approval. They are the hardest to please.
MissyG says
The flavor and crust were excellent! I noticed that the directions seemed to be more for skillet frying rather than an electric deep frier frying so we dropped the temp’ to 338° since our temp stays consistent. I did not have a whole chicken so I used the boneless/skinless thighs we had on hand. Not legit’ for southern fried chicken, I know, but still turned out really good. Followed the recipe exactly except for sub’ing Rice Flour for Corn Starch. Corn starch would likely have added some extra flavor that would be nice, however I am allergic to corn so that was a no-can-do. I will definitely be making this again. Really good 🙂
Judy Searle says
After more than 60 years of cooking, i had never been satisfied with my attempts at frying chicken. Your recipe was a game-changer! I have confidently served it to many friends, and always get rave reviews. Most importantly, I love it. Thanks for sharing!
LC says
Tried this recipe last night. I did’t double coat the chicken, the single coating was just perfect. I also made my own creole seasoing which I also added to the coating mixture. Overall the chicken was amazing. All my family and friends loved it. 10/10
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback. Glad to hear it worked out well.
Kanya says
Excellent recipe and tips.
I did it last night aa American dinner theme. I had adjusted seasoning as I don’t have some items otherwise followed almost everything. I cooked them in a deep fat fryer but using less oil as suggested. And the chicken came out perfect as the the temperature of the oil was controlled the whole way through. The big pieces took 15 mins the breast took 10 mins.
Thank you.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for the feedback . Glad to hear it worked out for you.
Amanda says
This chicken was amazing! For my first time it was great!!!!
Was I supposed to remove the skin? My chicken kinda separated the crusty batter and skin from the chicken. What did I do wrong? Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome!! I am so glad this was a hit with you, Amanda! This recipe called for skin-on chicken, but feel free to take off the skin if you prefer.
Hugo ten Dam says
I had smokey paprika powder and I didn’t add any salt, so it didn’t come out perfect (could) send some pics if you’d like. What I and my neigbour with which I shared it with agreed onz was that the crust was too thick. So I’d try it next time without the double dip
ImmaculateBites says
Hello Hugo ten Dam! I am sorry your Fried Chicken did not turn out okay. Next time, season to taste. Do let me know how it turns out with a single coat.
Eugénia Conceição says
Dear Imma
I write from Portugal and in my search I found your page. I am looking for a company that provides the specific flour to make the southern fried chicken. We want to open a Take-Away and sell the chicken but we want to use the right flour. Do you know any company that produces this flour ?! Appreciate your attention.
Best Regards
Eugénia Conceição
ImmaculateBites says
H Eugenia,Have you checked out white lily flour ? You might have to experiment with different flours to come up with the one that yields the perfect crisp. I find that cornstarch and all-purpose flour gives it a nice crisp.
Wishing you all the best,
Lynn Donnell says
I had trouble cutting this recipe – I’m only cooking for two – so I left out the cornstarch (1 cup seems like way too much, even for 3 cups of flour!) and the baking powder. I too wound up with a hard shell-like crust. I’m new to using a cast-iron skillet (think I need an oil thermometer). I think I was cooking too hot. I do plan to try this recipe again. The pictures look so great & I did get the good flavor from the marinade overnight.
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lynn,
I would divide all the ingredients by half. Also if your temperature is too high the exterior would cook up too fast and the chicken would not be fully cooked. Agreed use a thermometer.
Harry says
so long as you use the proportions of 3 parts flour to one part cornstartch it will work. Use tablespoons instead if you prefer. You had a hard crust because you left out the baking powder; it makes the coating puff up slightly when fried and this is what goes crispy, without it your coating will be smooth and hard
Ron says
I don’t know what went wrong. Like earlier response chicken had hard shell and Bundt on outside before inside done. Stated with temperature at 375 . What do you mean about pre-heatedtemperature. Ron
ImmaculateBites says
The oil is too hot. I would lower the temperature when the chicken starts to brown fairly quickly.Another great tip – is to fry the chicken until is brown, then pop them into the oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until the chicken is cooked through. Hope this helps
Katrina says
My first perfect bath of fried chicken!
Peter O'Leary says
Just cooked it both ways, fried and oven , when I did it in the oven, I added chilli to the crumbs, just right for a bit more tang, great recipe..!
ImmaculateBites says
Awesome! Thanks for taking time out to share this with us.
Nat says
Can you take out the hot sauce or substitute it with something else?
imma africanbites says
Yes, please feel free to leave out the hot sauce.
Tara Knight says
Hi! I am trying this recipe out this evening. My hubby says I have the oil too hot so will have to finish in the oven. I used Johnny Seasoning Salt in place of creole seasoning because I didn’t have it to try. I didn’t use the cornstarch and only used 1 1/2 cup of flour because I only had 4 chicken thighs to cook. Of course my kitchen got smoky cause I didn’t lower the temp in time….need a thermometer for sure. Still I am glad I tried this and practice makes perfect. My hubby was a restaurant cook for many years. He says to put te chicken in the oven on 350°F for up to 30 minutes. Bon appetit. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Lee says
Hi there,
Can this be made in an air fryer?
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Lee,
Sorry haven’t tried it in an air fryer yet. If you do let me know how I works out for you. Thanks.
Cat says
I am going to let my chicken sit in buttermilk until tomorrow and I AM using an air fryer!
Hugo ten Dam says
So how did it go???
Lorraine says
Followed this recipe and instructions exactly, but didn’t get anywhere near the results others have posted about. The coating wasn’t flaky or tasty. Instead it was more like a hard shell around the pieces of chicken! I had the oil at the recommended temperature, did the buttermilk/spice marinade for approximately 20 hrs. and seasoned the dry ingredients by the exact measurements noted. I did do the double-breading as noted. Maybe that was the mistake. The chicken was moist, but lacked flavor. Very disappointed in the finished product.
Katrina says
I can’t imagine what went wrong. I followed the instruction listed and my chicken was super crispy and flavorful.
Joy says
Typically, a tablespoon of salt is added, not a teaspoon. Salt brings out the flavors. You would be surprised how much salt restaurants use. In a similar recipe, I used a teaspoon of each ingredient in the flour. Also, use a tablespoon of Ole Bay seasoning in ther flour, too. And instead of double coating, try rinsing the chicken, do a dry coat of flour dashed with salt and pepper, dip in egg and milk, then dip in the seasoned flour mixture before frying. It may be alot of work, but the more love and effort you put into your food will show.
Agnes says
Hi there, I am planing to make chicken and waffles for my sons birthday party (10 teenmonsters)…..do you have any tips for premaking it? Also, do you have a good idea for a healthy side (greens, fruits, veggies?) to calm my bad conscience ?
imma africanbites says
Hi, Agness. Please check out my Chicken and Waffles blog post here >> https://www.africanbites.com/chicken-waffles/ for some tips and notes.
Lori says
What is the total timeframe for frying in a cast iron skillet?
Melinda Fernie says
Can you put chicken in oven after frying to stay warm?
imma africanbites says
Hi. Yes, you can. Place them in a cooling rack and lightly dab them to remove excess oil using some paper towels, then place your cooling rack on top of a baking sheet and into the oven. Set the oven to low to keep them warm.
Terry Barnes says
I am a well seasoned cook but I have not ever made fried chicken that came out crispier and tastier than this. I was very surprised as I rarely run across a recipe that is truly a keeper. The crust on this chicken is perfect. Folks in the next county will hear you eating this and they will be coming to get some if they ever get a taste!
Well done – and thank you!
John Dzialo says
“Fry the chicken until golden brown, turning once every 10 to 20 minutes”
IS THIS RIGHT? THAT’S A PRETTY WIDE TIME RANGE: 20 TO 40 MINUTES??????
Joanne says
The recipe does say “depending on the size of the pieces”, so that would be why the wide time range.
Nicole Mathis says
That look good I am going to make some to
RACHEL DONNELLAN says
Oh my goodness…just made this. My whole family loved it and they are not easy to please. You are an angel from heaven. Thank you xxx
Sandra says
Can you cook southern fried chicken in a conventional over instead if deep frying ?
imma africanbites says
Yes, you can. You can also refer to this recipe, too >>. https://www.africanbites.com/oven-fried-chicken/