Description
Crispy fried chicken brings pure comfort straight from Grandma’s Southern kitchen to your dinner table. Perfectly golden and crunchy, this classic recipe delivers incredible flavor that will have your family asking for seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Seasoning Blend:
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Cooking Medium:
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Submerge 4 chicken thighs completely in 2 cups buttermilk inside a sealed container. Refrigerate for 2 hours to marinate thoroughly.
- Combine 2 cups all-purpose flour with 1 tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder in a wide mixing bowl.
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep fryer or large pot, heating to exactly 350°F for consistent cooking.
- Carefully remove chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip back into container.
- Roll each chicken thigh through seasoned flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure complete and thick coating covers every surface.
- Gently lower coated chicken pieces into hot oil, maintaining temperature at 350°F. Fry 15 minutes, turning occasionally for even browning.
- Check internal temperature reaches 165°F using a meat thermometer to confirm chicken is safely cooked through.
- Transfer fried chicken onto paper towel-lined plate to absorb excess oil and retain crispy texture.
- Rest chicken for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute and coating to set perfectly.
Notes
- Soaking chicken in buttermilk overnight helps tenderize the meat and creates a more flavorful, juicy result.
- Use a meat thermometer to check internal temperature, ensuring chicken is fully cooked without drying out.
- Maintain consistent oil temperature around 350°F for crispy, evenly golden exterior without burning.
- For gluten-free version, swap all-purpose flour with rice flour or gluten-free breadcrumbs for equally crunchy coating.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Fried
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 630 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 870 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 140 mg