When it comes to chicken there just isn’t anything more delicious than a juicy, crusty piece of finger-licking good fried chicken. It might seem intimidating to fry your own chicken, but it’s actually pretty straightforward and it puts grocery store and fast food fried chicken to shame. If you have a thermometer for the oil and a timer, you can produce fail-proof fried chicken. If you’ve ever wanted to make your own fried chicken, now is the time to try!
Why Our Recipe
- We’ve got a flavorful buttermilk brine that not only keeps your chicken juicy but also flavors the meat itself.
- Our ultimate blend of herbs and spices puts the colonel’s to shame.
- A full walk-through video demonstration is included to make sure you have everything you need to replicate this recipe at home.
Cornstarch Secret
Cornstarch is one of our recommended ingredients for the crispiest fried chicken. Cornstarch is often used in Asian fried chicken recipes. The combination of the flour with cornstarch produces the crispiest result. You can replace all of the flour with cornstarch, or you can try using a similar non-gluten-based flour or flour blend in place of traditional all-purpose flour.
Troubleshooting: Keep the breading from falling off
One of the challenges that people face when making fried chicken is that their crunchy coating falls off. There’s usually a few reasons for this to happen. Here are some tips for making sure your breading doesn’t fall off.
- When coating and breading your chicken, be sure to tap off the excess buttermilk as well as the excess flour.
- Give your chicken a gentle pat after coating with the flour mixture to make sure that the flour sticks to the buttermilk.
- Make sure that you don’t overcrowd your pan. You want to make sure that the chicken isn’t bumping against other pieces of chicken which can knock off the breading.
- Only flip your chicken once while frying. The more you fuss with your chicken, the more likely you are to knock off or disturb some of the crunchy coating.
Some people recommend allowing your chicken to dry on a wire rack after dipping and dredging. This is not only useful, it’s also convenient when making large batches.
Frying Oils
There are lots of options when it comes to oil used for deep frying. Common options include peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, and corn oil. Vegetable oil is the oil we recommend using for deep frying.
To reuse your oil, simply let the oil cool down completely, strain it, and return it to a storage container for later use.
Fried Chicken Cooking Time
The average piece of chicken will need to be fried for 14 minutes. Each piece of chicken will be different though so make sure you cook each one to a minimum internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. White meat will have its peak juiciness at 165 degrees F. Dark meat can be cooked to 170-175F for the best texture.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Fried chicken is best when it is fresh and the skin is still crispy. Leftovers though will be good in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The skin will not be as crispy when reheated.
For best results, reheat leftover fried chicken in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes.
Looking for what to serve with Fried Chicken? You may enjoy these delicious classic American side dishes:
The Best Macaroni Salad
20 mins
Mom’s Creamy Potato Salad
2 hrs 30 mins
Best Summer Fruit Salad
20 mins
Classic Baked Beans
16 hrs 30 mins
Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.
Made this last night and it was just as the name of the recipe says “Crispy Fried Chicken”. I didn’t have buttermilk so I made my own with the 1TBS lemon juice and then milk to equal 1 cup. I heated my cast iron frying pan with oil to temperature and added chicken. After it was browned I should have turned the heat down a bit to regulate temperature so it wouldn’t get too brown. But it was as good, if not better, than any friend chicken I have had in a restaurant. I used boneless chicken breasts. So happy to have found such a perfect friend chicken recipe. Thank you.
Wonderful absolutely wonderful!!! I enjoy your presentation!!! Lovely ?
Just wanted to comment on the person who mixed the dry and wet ingredients together…….I never made it, but I have heard of battered fried chicken…….Would you comment on that please??
I find it useful to whisk all the dry spices together, then add liquids and whisk until thoroughly mixed, Lastly add the chicken. Using this method ensures an even mixture. In the past I have had clumping of spices.
Why would you mix wet and dry ingredients together?
Just makes it more batter like. I do it with fish. I even make it with no wet ingredients at all. Easier. Never made a piece of fried chicken I didn’t like.
you dont mix the dry and wet together, you coat the chicken in dry, place the chicken in the dry to coat. This is described in the recipe
My first time making fried chicken and it was a success! My husband was obsessed.
Thank you for this awesome recipe.
I kept the temp at 350 degrees but my chicken was not cooked, especially the legs. the crust was getting too dark a d the oil started to turn black. cant figure out what i did wrong. I took it off the stove and put it in the oven. may e i need to take the chicken out of the pan whrn it is this colour and finish it in the oven
what kind of oil did you use?
Best oil (and healthier) is either sunflower or grapeseed oil. I’ve been using it for 10+ years! Great flavor and a golden fry!
I use peanut oil i cook it for 16 min keeping the oil between 320 and 358
I freaking live peanut oil!!! Omg have you ever had egg rolls cooked in peanut oil? They are amazing!
Vegetable oil, like the recipe states. (Canola or Peanut work well also due to the high smoke point).
I’ve learned to poke holes in the chicken to allow the oil to flow through and cook it inside.
UGH, the absolute worst thing to do when frying chicken, or any protein. It’s basic science. Moisture is lost when meat with “holes” are cooked. This results in the muscle fibers drying out, your meat drying out and an overall dried out peice of shoe leather.
Make sure whatever thermometer you’re using is properly calibrated. Your result is what happens when a thermometer is giving bad readings.
I cut a slit along side the bone in legs and thighs prior to coating. It helps to cook chicken evenly and can not be seen when serving.
Looks like your oil was way above 350 … Check your thermometer if its calibrated correctly and make sure your oil is not jumping all over as it is a sign it’s way too hot and the coating on your chicken will burn. Start low and slow..make note that skillet size and the amount of chicken pieces you cook at a time also affect oil temperature.. trust me i know.. 3rd times the charm🙂
If your oil is not hot enough the breading will just absorb the oil instead of cooking. Don’t put the chicken in until it reaches the proper temperature
You can try to lower the temperature down to 300-325 and cook it slower but longer or when the chicken coating is the desired colour not too dark put the chicken on a wire rack on a baking sheet and put it in to a 350-375 oven and go 5mins at a time and then flip the chicken over and go another 5 minutes use a thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken , also when you take the chicken out of the oil once it is browned to the colour you want check the internal temperature of the pieces before you put the chicken in the oven and that can give you a guide as how close to the 180 temperature it is at for being cooked through,
Vegetable oil has a high smoke point, but so does olive oil if you’ll use the light flavored one to avoid the taste going to the chicken.
Use Crisco oil
I had the same experience. The first batch burned before the internal temperature reached 165 degrees. Second batch I browned in oil and finished in the oven.
I tried the first time on the stove in a cast iron pan. Same result. The second time, I used the fryer. It kept the temp a constant 350 and I had perfect chicken.
The amount of Paprika also will affect the color if the Temp is too high.
I’ve also had this happen before. I’m not sure what I had done wrong but tonight I had real success. My guess or suggestion is to maybe y item your stove temp down a notch and maybe you’ll have to cook a few more minutes but see how that works for ya. Good luck!
Wow that is great
I just made chicken with this recipe and it tastes and looks amazing.
Hi Rachel, I love all your recipes! Can this chicken done on an Air Fryer?
We have not tried this in the air fryer, but please let us know how yours turns out if you do!
This yankee has been working hard at frying chicken, and I feel this recipe might be the one! It’s frying….I’ll let you know! It’s out and crispier than any recipe I’ve tried before ??……resting…..what do I do for 10 min; I’m dying….laundry….times up! Omg my golly, delicious! Super crispy. Outside might be over done, but not that you couldn’t eat it, but inside is cooked perfectly! Love it!
I have never made fried chicken before.this was delicious
I love fried chicken but have never made one that I have my husband brag to everyone about. This stuff is good!!!!!!! Thanks so much for the recipe. It made me look like a real fried chicken queen!