American · Main · Medium
Country Fried Chicken
Buttermilk brined chicken fried to a shattering golden crisp. The Sunday dinner centerpiece.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Country Fried Chicken, in 5 ideas
- The buttermilk brine is what makes the chicken juicy and tangy all the way through.
- Letting the dredged chicken rest before frying helps the coating stick.
- A cast iron skillet holds heat steady, which is critical for even frying.
- Do not crowd the pan. The oil temperature drops and the coating gets greasy.
- Dark meat is more forgiving than white meat if your oil temperature wanders.
What you need
Ingredients
- 3 lbs chicken pieces (thighs, drumsticks, breasts)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Vegetable oil or shortening for frying
How to make it
Directions
- Soak the chicken in buttermilk mixed with hot sauce for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
- Mix the flour with salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a shallow dish.
- Heat 1 inch of oil in a cast iron skillet to 350F.
- Dredge each piece in the seasoned flour, pressing to coat. Let rest 10 minutes.
- Fry in batches, 6 to 8 minutes per side, until deep golden and the internal temp reaches 165F.
- Drain on a wire rack. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Double dredge for extra crunch: dip in buttermilk, then flour, then buttermilk again, then flour. The coating gets incredibly craggy and crisp.