Fried Chicken Breast

Crispy, juicy, and downright irresistible! A perfect balance between amazing flavor and a crunchy texture. This simple, versatile recipe is fabulous hot, cold, anytime, anywhere.

Course dinner, Main

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Marinate Time 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings

Calories 360kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3-4 medium-sized chicken breasts (skinless and boneless)

Chicken Marinade

½ teaspoon salt, adjust to preference
½ teaspoon white pepper, adjust to preference
½ teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
2 cups buttermilk (for both marinating and coating)

Breading

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon bouillon powder
1 tablespoon dried herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, etc.)
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
Oil for frying

Instructions

Prep Chicken Breasts

Using a mallet or the bottom of a saucepan, lightly pound your chicken to about a half-inch thickness between two pieces of plastic wrap until it is evenly sized. If it is too large, then cut it horizontally into two fillets.
Pour buttermilk into a bowl. Add salt, pepper, hot sauce, and creole seasoning. Mix well.
Put the chicken in a bowl and pour some of the buttermilk over the chicken. Cover with cling wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours (24 hours works too).
Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, bouillon powder, herbs, cayenne pepper, white pepper, and salt in a large bowl.
Remove the marinated chicken from the buttermilk. Then dredge it in the flour mixture and shake off excess flour.
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 10-15 minutes while preparing the oil. That will help the coating to stay on better.

Frying

Heat oil in your deep fryer or cast iron skillet to 375℉/190℃. The temperature will drop once you add chicken.
Slowly and carefully place the chicken in the hot oil using a tong. Work in batches to not overcrowd the skillet.
Fry the chicken until golden brown, turning once every 5 minutes - depending on the size of the pieces. Chicken is done when it's no longer pink inside and its juices run clear, or your instant-read thermometer reads 165℉/75℃. You may do a test by piercing the chicken with a fork.
Drain the chicken on paper towels and then transfer them to a wire rack.
Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Let the chicken rest after coating it in the flour and buttermilk mixtures before frying it. That will allow it to form a crust and warm to room temperature, which will help it cook evenly.
A cast-iron pan helps create perfectly fried chicken because it holds the temperature better and heats evenly.
Rather than submerging your chicken entirely into oil, only heat enough oil so it covers ¾ of the chicken. The weight of the chicken will cause it to sit just almost above the oil's surface, creating a crispy crust without burning.
Don't overcrowd your pan with chicken because it will lower the oil's temperature and slow the cooking time (soggy chicken isn't good). Do it in small batches instead.
Make sure not to let the fried chicken sit on a paper towel for too long because it could get soggy and stick to the paper. Instead, drain the chicken using a wire rack over a baking sheet, and they'll cool crispy and dry all at once.
Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition