Southern Fried Chicken

Carefully removing freshly fried chicken from the hot oil.

One bite of this chicken's crunchy, spicy outer layer, followed by the tender, juicy meat inside, and you'll understand why it's a true-blue Southern classic. Infused with spices for intense flavor and marinated in buttermilk to make it juicy, it's the perfect main course for your next picnic!

Course Main

Cuisine Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Marinating Time 4

Total Time 4 30

Servings

Calories 651kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

The Chicken

1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
1½-2 teaspoons (8-12g) salt (adjust to preference)
½-1 tablespoon (7-15g) hot sauce
3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
2-3 teaspoons (8-12g) Creole seasoning
4 cups (950ml) buttermilk (for both marinating and coating)
¼ cup cornstarch (optional)

Chicken Breading

3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (128g) cornstarch
2 teaspoons (10g) baking powder
1 tablespoon (8-9g) paprika
2 tablespoons (30g) garlic powder
2 tablespoons (20g) onion powder
1-1½ tablespoons (5-8g) dried herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, etc.)
1 teaspoon (2-3g) cayenne pepper (adjust to preference)
1 teaspoon (2-3g) white pepper
1 teaspoon (6g) salt (adjust to taste)
frying oil

Instructions

Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and season them with salt, crushed garlic, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning.
Pour some of the buttermilk over the seasoned chicken (add optional cornstarch), transfer it to a large bowl or gallon-sized ziplock freezer bag, and marinate it covered in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, herbs, cayenne pepper, white pepper, and salt in another large bowl.
Remove the marinated chicken from the buttermilk and let the excess buttermilk drain back into the bowl.
Then, dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour. You could use a ziplock bag for this process, too.
Optional step: Double-dip the chicken in the remaining buttermilk (add fresh buttermilk as needed), then repeat with the flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes while heating the oil. That will help the coating to stay on better.
Heat oil in a deep fryer or cast-iron skillet to 375℉ (190℃). The temperature will drop once you add chicken. Optionally, fry a few pieces of onion in the oil to test the temperature and infuse more flavor.
Slowly and carefully place the chicken in the hot oil using tongs. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
Fry the chicken until golden brown, turning once every 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pieces. Chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside, and its juices run clear, or your instant-read thermometer reads 165℉ (75℃). You could do a test by piercing the chicken with a fork.
Drain the chicken on a rack over a baking sheet, dab with paper towels to remove excess oil if necessary.
Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Sometimes I add cornstarch to the marinade, and sometimes I don't. Try it both ways, and see which one you like best.
If you want thicker, crispier breading, double-dip it in the buttermilk and flour. If you prefer a thinner breading, just drain off excess marinade and coat it well in the breading once.
A neutral-tasting, high smoke point oil, like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil, works well. Olive oil does not.
Avoid overcrowding the pan because it will lower the oil's temperature too quickly, resulting in greasy chicken.
A cast-iron pan or deep fryer holds the temperature better and heats evenly.
Rather than using enough oil to submerge the entire chicken, put enough to submerge ¾ of it. The weight of the chicken will cause it to sit just above the oil's surface, creating a crispy crust without burning.
If anything fried sits on a paper towel too long, it may stick to it. Instead, drain your chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet, and it will stay crispy and dry.
Please note that the nutritional data is a rough estimate and can vary greatly depending on the ingredients used.

Nutrition