Southern Fried Chicken

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 435kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Chicken Seasoning

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)

Chicken Coating

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, transfer the chicken to a gallon-sized ziplock freezer bag, and marinate it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight).
Whisk together 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 from the buttermilk and let the excess buttermilk drain back into the bag. Then, dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour. You could use a ziplock bag for this process, too.
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.
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 may do a test by piercing the chicken with a fork.
Drain the chicken on paper towels and then transfer them quickly to a wire rack.
Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Let them rest for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Olive oil is not suitable for frying because it has a low smoke point and will burn. Neutral-tasting, high smoke point oils like canola, vegetable, or peanut oil work much better.
Don't overcrowd your pan with chicken because it will lower the oil's temperature too quickly and slow the cooking time.
A cast-iron pan or deep fryer holds the temperature better and heats evenly, resulting in perfectly cooked chicken.
Rather than having enough oil to submerge your chicken, put enough to cover 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.
Don't let anything fried sit on a paper towel too long because it may stick to the paper towel. Instead, drain your chicken using a wire rack over a baking sheet, and they'll stay crispy and dry all at once easily.
Please note that the nutritional data is a rough estimate and can vary greatly depending on the ingredients used.

Nutrition