Classic Fried Chicken

SERVES: 4

PREP: 20 Min

COOK TIME: 40 Min

If you like fried chicken that has real crunch and lots of flavor, then this recipe for Classic Fried Chicken is right up your alley. We give our chicken a buttermilk bath to make it extra-moist and flavorful, and coat it twice before frying it up so it's super crunchy. The results? The perfect, classic fried chicken.

What You'll Need

1 (3- to 3-1/2-pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups vegetable shortening

What to Do

Place chicken in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover. Add 2 teaspoons salt and soak chicken 20 minutes.
In a shallow dish, combine flour, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, the garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper; mix well. Place buttermilk in another shallow dish.
Remove chicken from water and dip in flour mixture, coating completely. Dip chicken in buttermilk then in flour mixture again, coating all sides.
In a large deep skillet or cast iron skillet, heat oil over medium-low heat to 325 degrees. Fry chicken in batches for 10 to 12 minutes per side until golden and no pink remains in center of chicken. Drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet. To keep warm while cooking remaining chicken, place baking sheet in a 250 degree warm oven.

Check This Out!

Make sure you round off the meal with our Award-Winning Mashed Potatoes and these Perfect Peas!
For more fried chicken recipes you'll love, try our Crispy Crunchy Fried Chicken or our Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
We've got more easy chicken dinner options right here! Check out our collection of Amazing Chicken Wing Recipes, or our Simple Chicken Drumstick Recipes.

Nutritional InformationShow More

Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value *
Calories 1,442
Calories from Fat 938
Total Fat 104g 160 %
Saturated Fat 36g 180 %
Trans Fat 0.3g 0 %
Protein 71g 141 %

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value *
Cholesterol 288mg 96 %
Sodium 1,729mg 72 %
Total Carbohydrates 50g 17 %
Dietary Fiber 1.9g 8 %
Sugars 1.7g 0 %

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Cowboy Chef Jeff

Dec 16, 2020

My recipe stops after step 3 and doesn't tell you how to cook it. What should I do?

wiseone2453 507090 6

Jan 24, 2015

Im going to try this, is it ok to remove skin?

Test Kitchen Team

Jan 26, 2015

Hi there! Keeping the skin on the chicken helps the coating to stay on when it's being fried. We think that most of the coating will fall off if you remove the skin. If you'd still like to remove the skin, we suggest baking the chicken after coating it. Enjoy!

squaretoes

Mar 23, 2015

I take the skin off of my chicken all the time. I never have a problem with the coating coming off. I usually dust my chicken first in some flour then dip it in beaten egg then roll it into seasoned breadcrumbs (the kind you get at the supermarket) then fry it right after. I never had a problem and I love not having to eat all that skin.

stargirl5431 20736 48

Nov 02, 2014

I did what the recipe said and even though I flipped the chicken and cooked it for the amount of time said the chicken still wasn't done. So I had to bake the chicken after word to cook it all the way through. Other than that it was an ok recipe, I would have added a little more garlic powder for more flavor.

virginiamariash 96 72106

Nov 07, 2013

It sound very similar to the old recipe that I used but it had canned milk and egg for dipping into and then the flour. This was very good too.

wineglass

May 31, 2012

you can also "make" buttermilk by putting 1 TBSP vinegar (or) lemon juice in 1 cup of milk and letting it set for 10 mins. Try it, I promise it's the same. Have used in pie crust and biscuits for YEARS!!!!!!!

Linda McG

Sep 27, 2012

Thanks for posting this substitution. My Grandma used to "make" her own buttermilk like this too when she didn't have any on hand and it worked great, but I forgot how much vinegar to use. I take it that it is white vinegar and not apple cider vinegar. I have passed up several good recipes before that called for buttermilk because I forgot how Grandma used to do it. Now I know so thanks again.

cjd

May 21, 2021

I've used either vinegar and found no difference.

Chestnut1648 27751 67

May 03, 2012

would powdered buttermilk work just as good?

Chestnut1648 27751 67

May 03, 2012

would powdered buttermilk work just as good?

jamhetjimhan 64256 78

Feb 02, 2012

I have tried many Fried Chicken recipes, but this particular recipe my husband loves! It's a deffinate keeper!! Thank you for sharing it.

jadees

Jul 04, 2011

Two cups of vegetable shortening in a large soup pot does not constitute deep frying. This amount of shortening means you have to turn the chicken to cook all sides. In deep frying there is much more oil and you do not have to turn the chicken. I'm sure the deep pot is used to keep the oil from bubbling over when the chicken pieces are added. My version of this is to marinate the chicken in the buttermilk instead of the salted water. It cuts down on some of the salt and is more tender on the inside but still crunchy on the outside.

mary hlav

Jul 04, 2012

I use my cast iron dutch oven to make fried chicken, you do have to turn it but it makes the best crust. Plus I cover the dutch oven while frying to steam cook also. Fabulous!

bmcderment 5381125

May 15, 2011

I have never fried chicken. this recipe sounds easy enougeh so i will give it a try.

Mybobba1 6118392

May 11, 2011

REAL southern fried chicken is pan fried, not deep fried. Hard to find pan fried, do you have a recipe???

cpoe 1996891

Apr 27, 2012

For real southern fried chicken just heat a cup or so of Crisco shortening not oil in skillet until hot but not smoking dredge roll each chicken piece in flour and carefully place in hot shortening Do not crowd As each piece browns use a fork or tongs to turn it and continue cooking until second side is brown Remove to a serving plate That's it If want to make gravy remove all fat except about or Tablespoons from skillet add - T of flour and stir until bubbles slightly Slow stir in cups of milk and continue to stir until it starts to boil Yummy Some people like to soak their chicken in buttermilk overnight before rolling in the flour--I've tried that like the flavor but the chicken tends to burn instead of browning nicely so I usually skip that step Learned to fry chicken from my grandma So glad…Read More we don't have to go catch the chicken dress it and then cook it Dinner would be late