Southern Fried Chicken recipe– One bite of this chicken’s crunchy, spicy outer layer followed by the tender, juicy meat inside, and you’ll understand why this is a true-blue Southern classic. Infused with spices for intense flavor and soaked in buttermilk tender juiciness, this is the perfect addition to your collection of chicken recipes!
Honestly, this is one of those recipes that is just plain irresistible. I never have leftovers, and everyone always goes back for seconds. Give this fried chicken a try, and you’ll understand what all the fuss is about. 😋
Besides being pure temptation, this Southern-fried chick recipe is super affordable. Marinate simple chicken cuts in buttermilk, then coat them with seasoned flour, and voila! You’ve got a dish that tastes like a million bucks (but only costs a few dollars 🤑).
The Secret to Perfect Southern Fried Chicken
I think there are a few secrets, personally. Here’s my take on a perfectly Southern fried chicken recipe:
- Don’t skip the buttermilk,
- Be generous with the seasonings and, most importantly,
- Use good frying techniques
Don’t worry because I’ll cover all those points in more detail in this recipe so you can make fried chicken that will rival your grandma’s.
Recipe Ingredients
- Chicken – You can use any cut of chicken you like, but make it bone-in. I prefer buying one whole chicken and cutting it into 10 pieces for this recipe. It doesn’t take long to cut up the chicken, and it’s cheaper too! 🙌
- Coating – Flour is the base of the crunchy outer coating for our fried chicken. Regular ol’ all-purpose flour is perfect for this recipe. Cornstarch and baking powder increase the crispiness. Yum!
- Seasonings – To get a flavorful outer crust, you’ll need paprika, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, white pepper, and some dried herbs. Go all out with the spices because it really makes a difference.
- Buttermilk is one of the secrets to getting that lusciously juicy chicken meat inside that crispy shell. Store-bought or homemade buttermilk works, but don’t leave out this vital ingredient.
How to Make Southern Fried Chicken
Prepare the Chicken
- Season – Start by placing the chicken in a large bowl. Then, season it with salt, followed by crushed garlic, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning. (Photos 1-2)
- Marinate – Pour the buttermilk over the seasoned chicken and then transfer the chicken in its seasoned marinade to a gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag. Refrigerate it for at least 4 hours and up to overnight. (Photos 3-5)
- Make the Coating – Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, herbs, and white pepper in a large bowl. (Photo 6)
- Dredge – Remove the marinated chicken from the buttermilk. Then, dredge each piece in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess flour. You can use a ziplock bag for this process. (Photo 7)
- Double-dip the chicken in the remaining buttermilk, adding fresh buttermilk as needed, and dredge it again in the spiced flour mixture, shaking off the excess. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes while heating the oil. That helps the coating to stay on better. (Photo 8-10)
Fry the Chicken
- Heat Oil in a deep fryer or a cast iron skillet to 375℉/190℃. Remember that the temperature will drop once you add chicken.
- Add Chicken – Use tongs to place the chicken carefully and slowly in the hot oil. Work in batches, and don’t overcrowd your skillet.
- Fry the chicken until it’s golden brown, turning once every 10-20 minutes – depending on the size of the pieces. The chicken is done when it’s no longer pink inside and the juices run clear when pierced. You can do a test by stabbing it with a fork.
- Drain the chicken on a paper-towel-lined plate and then transfer them to a wire rack.
- Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let them cool for at least 10 minutes before serving your mouthwatering Southern fried chicken.
Recipe Variations
- Swap out your all-purpose flour with gluten-free flour for a gluten-free version of this recipe. I have yet to try it, so you may want to experiment with different flours until you get that classic, flavorsome crunch.
- Use chicken breast tenderloins instead of a whole chicken to make fried chicken tenders instead of regular bone-in chicken. The kids love these. 👧
- Air Fried Chicken. Feel free to avoid deep frying your chicken. Spray the coated chicken with canola oil, crank up your air fryer to 400℉ (205℃), and fry away.
Tips and Tricks
- When frying, ensure your oil is at the right preheated temperature. If it’s too hot, the outside of your chicken will burn before the inside cooks. And if it’s too cold, the chicken skin will get soggy and greasy.
- Don’t use extra virgin olive oil to fry chicken because it has a low smoke temperature and will result in bitter-tasting chicken. Neutral-tasting oils with a high smoke point, like canola, vegetable, or, preferably, peanut oil, are a much better choice.
- 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. That way, they’ll cool crisp and won’t taste greasy. 👌
Make-Ahead Instructions
As with most fried foods, this recipe is best served fresh from the frying pan. I don’t personally recommend making it ahead of time. If you do, though, follow my reheating instructions below to get the crispiness back when you serve it.
Serving and Storage Instructions
Serve Southern fried chicken as soon as it’s had a chance to cool. Be sure to pair it with plenty of Southern sides.
Store leftover fried chicken in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-5 days. To reheat your fried chicken, take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature while preheating your oven to 400℉/205℃. Then place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and bake it for 15-20 minutes until it’s heated through. That’s the best way to get your crunch back.
What Goes With Southern Fried Chicken
Um, just all of my favorite sides! 😆 For a classic Southern dinner, serve this chicken with collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and homemade butter biscuits.
Make sure you have some Southern drinks and desserts on hand, too. Sweet iced tea is a must. Finish off your meal with a healthy portion of apple cobbler or sweet potato pie, and don’t forget to scoop a dollop of vanilla ice cream on top. 🤤
Wine pairing: Did you know that champagne is perfect with fried chicken? Go figure!
More Classic Southern Recipes to Try
Conclusion
So get to fryin’! And don’t be intimidated because you are now equipped with everything you need to make the perfect Southern fried chicken. Already a fried chicken champ? I’d love to see your best tips in the comment section below!
Watch How to Make It
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This blog post was originally published in September 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.
Southern Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
- 1½-2 teaspoons salt, adjust to preference
- ½ -1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2-3 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 4 cups buttermilk (for both marinating and coating)
Chicken Coating
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1-1½ tablespoon dried herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, adjust to taste
Instructions
Prepping the Chicken and Coating
- Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl. Then season it with salt, crushed garlic, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning.
- Pour some of the buttermilk over the marinated chicken, transfer the chicken to a gallon-sized zipper-lock freezer bag, and refrigerate 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. Then dredge it in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour. You could 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 10-15 minutes while preparing the oil. That will help the coating to stay on better.
Frying the Chicken
- 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 a tong. Work in batches, and don't overcrowd the skillet.
- Fry the chicken until golden brown, turning once every 10-15 minutes – depending on the size 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 to a wire rack.
- Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Let them cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
Tips & Notes:
- After you coat the chicken with the flour mixture and dip your chicken in buttermilk, let it rest first before frying it. That will allow your chicken to form a crust and warm to room temperature, which will help it cook evenly.
- When frying, ensure 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.
- Don’t ever use extra virgin olive oil on fried chicken because it’ll result in bitter-tasting meat. Go for a neutral-tasting oil like canola, vegetable, or, preferably, peanut oil.
- 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.
- A cast-iron pan is a must for a perfectly cooked fried chicken because it holds the temperature better and heats evenly, resulting in perfectly cooked chicken.
- Rather than deep frying or submerging your chicken entirely into the pan or deep fryer, only ¾ of the chicken should be covered in hot oil. 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 let anything fried sit on a paper towel too long because it’ll start to steam. Then your chicken might get soggy and stick to the paper towel. Instead, drain your chicken using a wire rack over a baking sheet, and they’ll cool crispy and dry all at once easily.
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nick Sullivan says
Made your recipe for a lunch gathering today. It was excellent! My 11 year old said “woah, great chicken! But like like really great chicken!” Big hit! I added ginger and cinnamon – gave it a nice zing. Thank you so much!!
Immaculate Bites says
Aww this made me smile! Hello to your 11-year old, Nick! Glad you both enjoyed it. Thank you!! 🙂
Baltisraul says
Another thing that works great to make sure the coating sticks to the chicken is to place in the freezer 12-14 minutes before frying. Go from freezer to the hot oil . This may add 1 or 2 minutes to the frying time.
Angela says
This recipe is perfect family loved the chicken
Immaculate Bites says
This recipe really is family-friendly, Angela. Enjoy! 🙂
Maimunat Bolajoko Folami says
I love this recipe! And learnt how to make buttermilk as well. Can I use smoke chicken for this recipe or only raw chicken?
Immaculate Bites says
Hi Maimunat! For this recipe, it would be better to use raw chicken to make sure the ‘southern’ flavor will come out, rather than using smoked chicken which already has a distinct taste on its own. I hope you’ll enjoy this! 🙂
Mike D says
Tried this recipe tonight and it was amazing. family loved the spices and the chicken came out so moist, thank you!!
Sophie Elcomb says
This is great recipe, I’ve used rice flour as I’m gluten free and it has the perfect crunch. I also fry the chicken on each side and then bake the chicken, I have a large family and it’s a little easier when cooking 4kg of chicken portions!!
Again great recipe, thanks for sharing.
ImmaculateBites says
Great! Thanks for the feedback.
Tracy p says
This hits all the notes. Wonderfully seasoned. I will be passing this on to my Momma for her to try!
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.
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.
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.
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,