Description
Southern Fried Chicken delivers crispy, golden perfection straight from my grandmother’s cherished recipe. Crunchy seasoned coating and juicy meat make this classic comfort dish a total crowd-pleaser that disappears from the plate in seconds.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
Seasoning Ingredients:
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Wet Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 0.5 cup whole milk
- Vegetable or canola oil (enough to fill skillet 0.5 inches deep)
Instructions
- Pat 1.12 lbs of bone-in chicken pieces completely dry with clean paper towels. Generously sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper across every surface of the chicken.
- Crack 2 large eggs into a shallow bowl. Pour ½ cup whole milk and whisk until completely blended and smooth.
- Grab a separate bowl and combine 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1.5 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
- Submerge each chicken piece first into the egg-milk mixture, ensuring full coverage. Then roll through the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly to create a thick, even coating.
- Pour vegetable oil into a deep skillet, filling it ½ inch deep. Heat oil to exactly 350F (175C) using a cooking thermometer.
- Carefully lower chicken pieces into hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 7-8 minutes on first side until golden brown.
- Flip chicken and cook additional 7-8 minutes on opposite side. Confirm internal temperature reaches 165F using a meat thermometer.
- Remove chicken from oil and place on wire rack or paper towel-lined plate. Allow 5 minutes resting time before serving to help retain crispiness.
Notes
- Pat chicken completely dry before seasoning to ensure maximum crispiness and better flour adherence.
- Double-dredging creates an extra-crunchy coating that seals in moisture and delivers incredible texture.
- Let chicken rest after frying to allow internal juices to redistribute, keeping the meat tender and preventing dry edges.
- For a gluten-free version, swap regular flour with rice flour or a gluten-free all-purpose blend, which produces equally crispy results.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Category: Fried
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 395 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 420 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg