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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with shatteringly crispy, spiced flour coating and juicy chicken inside. The thick white country gravy is made from pan drippings and flour, pooling around the base for classic Southern fried chicken flavor.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
soaking 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 920
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces (breasts or thighs)
buttermilk marinade
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
seasoned flour coating
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
frying oil
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying
white gravy
  • 2 tbsp pan drippings
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak the chicken
  1. Soak the bone-in chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight, ensuring all sides are coated. Keep it covered while it sits so the coating adheres well.
Seasoned flour coating
  1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper in a shallow dish until the color looks evenly speckled. This is your spiced, crunchy coating mixture.
Dredge and fry
  1. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture and let excess drip off. Dredge it firmly in the seasoned flour so you get a thick, clinging crust.
  2. Repeat the dip-and-dredge for extra crunch by returning the coated chicken to the buttermilk mixture, then pressing it again into the seasoned flour. Set the chicken aside briefly with visible flour clumps.
  3. Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a large cast iron skillet until it’s actively frying-ready. Fry the chicken 10-12 minutes per side until deeply golden and the coating looks crisp and set.
  4. Verify doneness by ensuring the internal temperature reaches 165°F, with the crust staying crisp and golden. Drain on paper towels so the coating can firm up as it cools slightly.
Make the white country gravy
  1. For the gravy, whisk pan drippings and flour in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute until it smells nutty and lightly thickens. Keep whisking so there are no lumps.
  2. Gradually whisk in whole milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste until the gravy coats the back of a spoon.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken immediately with white gravy poured over the top so it pools around the base. The moment is best when the coating is still shatter-crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: press the chicken firmly into the seasoned flour and do the dip-and-dredge step to build that thick, crunchy crust. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat in a 350°F oven until warmed through (pan-frying can soften the crust). Freezing cooked chicken is not ideal for the crunch. Dietary swap: for a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for both the coating and gravy (choose one that fries well).