For a healthier alternative, be sure to try our Cast Iron Skillet Chicken Thighs. And check out my tutorial for how to cut up a whole chicken for tips and step-by-step images so everybody can get their favorite piece! Paul LOVES fried chicken. It’s one of his all-time favorite foods. When he was an undergrad, Paul dated a girl from Kentucky for a bit. When her mom came to visit, she made Paul fried chicken for dinner that he still talks about today. I don’t think Kentucky has a lockdown on fried chicken, but Colonel Sanders linked the two together in many of our minds with his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices. So naturally I had to include fried chicken in my collection of recipes representing Kentucky in my American Eats series. However, fried chicken could have been included with almost any other southern state where fried chicken reigns supreme so it gets an honorable mention for Alabama and Georgia as well. Harland Sanders, who started KFC, was actually born in Henryville, Indiana, which is close to Louisville, Kentucky. During the Great Depression, he started serving fried chicken to travelers from a roadside stand near Corbin, Kentucky. His chicken was so popular that he eventually franchised his recipe and the rest is pretty much history. But despite its popularity, personally, I would much rather have homemade fried chicken any day over KFC.
What you’ll need
Large Bowl – You will need a bowl big enough to hold all of the chicken pieces in a buttermilk brine. Ziptop Bag – A large ziptop bag is great for mixing up the spiced flour mixture and dredging the chicken pieces. Large Skillet – A large cast iron pan or dutch oven distributes heat evenly and consistently. Baking Sheet & Wire Rack – Placing just-fried chicken onto paper towels to drain results in soggy bottoms. Keep the chicken extra crispy by placing the just-fried chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Deep-Fry Thermometer – This is the same as a candy thermometer (affiliate link) and is indispensable in making fried chicken. A good thermometer will help you regulate the oil temperature so the chicken cooks evenly. Digital Meat Thermometer (affiliate link) – Having a good, instant read digital meat thermometer (affiliate link) lets you check each piece of chicken to make sure it has reached the correct internal temperature so you know it’s done. This is especially important when cooking different cuts of chicken like bone-in breasts and thighs. Tongs – A good pair of tongs lets you flip the chicken while frying without getting splatters of hot oil on your hands. A good amount of oil – canola or vegetable oil are my preference for frying chicken, although peanut works as well. All of these have a high smoke point and flavorless profile so they make the best oil for frying.
What type of chicken is best for frying?
This is really a matter of preference. You can use this recipe to make any type of fried chicken, whether you like all legs, boneless, skinless breasts or thighs, or a whole cut-up chicken so there are different pieces for everyone to enjoy. If I’m frying chicken to chop up for a crispy chicken salad, I use boneless, skinless breasts or thighs. But if we are having classic southern fried chicken for dinner, then it’s typically bone-in chicken pieces from a whole chicken. Be sure to cut the breasts in half right in the middle before soaking, if taking the latter approach. This helps them cook much more quickly and easily than if you are trying to fry whole, bone-in chicken breasts. Keep in mind that the amount of time it takes to fry the chicken will be different depending on the cut and whether it is boneless or bone-in.
How to make fried chicken
What temperature does the oil need to be at to fry chicken?
The oil temperature should be around 325 to 350°F and you will want to maintain that temperature as closely as possible. If the oil gets much hotter, you risk burning the outside of the chicken before the inside has a chance to cook all the way through. Lower than that and the chicken tends to get greasy as it soaks up more oil. My best tips for maintaining an even temperature are to use a heavy duty cast iron skillet, don’t crowd the pan with too many pieces of chicken at the same time, and use a deep-fry thermometer to maintain an even temperature during the process.
Oven-finish method
One alternative approach that I have used with good results is to only fry the chicken pieces for 2-3 minutes on each side, then transfer them to the baking sheet lined with a wire rack and finish the chicken in a 350°F oven until it is cooked through. Be sure to rely on your meat thermometer to register 165°F to know for certain when the chicken is done.
Bone-in pieces: Around 24-28 minutes in the oven. Boneless pieces: Around 15-18 minutes in the oven.
The upside of this approach is that it doesn’t take nearly as long standing at the stove in front of a pan of hot oil frying the chicken in batches. Instead, you are just crisping up the outer coating. This means all of the chicken finishes up at the same time. It’s an especially good approach if you are doubling the recipe to feed a crowd.
Tips for the best fried chicken
Cut bone-in chicken breasts in half. They are so hard to get right and take much longer to cook than other chicken pieces otherwise. Just use a sharp knife and cut right through the bones. Don’t crowd the pan! Yes, it’s a little annoying to work in batches, but you will get much better results. Plus, you won’t have to deal with the frustration of oil temperature dropping drastically. Use the buttermilk soak. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar to a 1 cup measuring cup. Fill the measuring cup the rest of the way with milk for each cup of buttermilk. Let that sit for 5 minutes and you’ve got buttermilk (or a close substitute at least). Drain on a wire rack. So many fried chicken recipes mention draining on paper towels, but that destroys the crispy coating! A wire rack is a much better approach.
What to serve with crispy fried chicken
When I make fried chicken, I like to keep the sides lighter and more picnic style by serving with a slice of watermelon, a garden salad, and maybe some potato salad. Or you can go the classic southern route by serving your fried chicken with creamy mashed potatoes smothered with a ladleful of gravy and a side of green beans. Here are some other classic sides that go well with southern fried chicken:
Classic Macaroni Salad Coca-Cola Jello Salad Creamy Grape Salad Southern Collard Greens Easy Creamy Corn Casserole Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits Fried Okra Black Eyed Peas
Sources: Recipe and method adapted from Elaine’s Crispy Fried Chicken from Allrecipes.com and Bon Appetit. Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
