Southern Fried Chicken – Immaculate Bites

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

1. 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! 🙌
2. 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!
3. 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.
4. 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

1. 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.
2. Use chicken breast tenderloins instead of a whole chicken to make fried chicken tenders instead of regular bone-in chicken. The kids love these. 👧
3. 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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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

1. Meatloaf
2. Black-Eyed Peas
3. Fried Cabbage
4. Baked Beans With Bacon
5. Pinto Beans

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

\[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”ZoqhisJ9″ upload-date=”Tue Aug 07 2018 11:39:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)” name=”Southern Fried Chicken” description=”Southern Fried Chicken – classic Southern chicken recipe that is crunchy and crusty on the outside and juicy and flavorful on the inside; infused with spices and seasonings and soaked in buttermilk to amp its flavor. A great addition to your chicken recipe collection!”]

This blog post was originally published in September 2017 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video.