Soft and damp meat inside, but crispy and crunchy outside. Chicken wings coated in spices, then fried to perfection. Southern fried chicken recipe will soon become a family favorite, it’s a perfect recipe for all meat lovers including people that are picky eaters
This fried chicken recipe is made from scratch and is marinated in buttermilk to make the chicken soft inside. It’s easy to be intimidated by southern fried chicken, but it’s fun to cook because you get to be creative.
SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
As a kid growing up, I wanted nothing but extra-crispy KFC chicken because there wasn’t chicken as delicious as theirs, I still like their chicken, although I have realized that once the crust is removed, the chicken tastes just like any basic chicken. It’s like the savory spices are just on the skin.
That’s why I now prefer homemade fried chicken, I make it so good that it tastes great even when the crust is removed.
Juicy finger-licking fried chicken doesn’t have to be complicated, it’s pretty straightforward and if you have a thermometer, you are ready to produce a fail-proof southern fried chicken recipe. This is the time to make your own fried chicken if you wanted to.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
Here’s what you need to make the southern fried chicken recipe
· Buttermilk – The chicken is marinated in salted buttermilk, marinating the chicken helps distribute the salt evenly. Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken while keeping it moist.
The Seasoning – Fried chicken is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, dried herb, and pepper.
Egg – helps the flour stick to the chicken.
Flour – Plain white, all-purpose flour.
Cornflour/cornstarch – makes the crust crispy. Perfect fried chicken breading.
Oil – Use peanut oil, vegetable, or canola, for neutral flavor and the ability to heat to the temperature needed without burning the chicken.
How to make Southern Fried Chicken
This recipe includes a short video on how to make the southern fried chicken recipe. Find the video on the recipe card.
Mix buttermilk, salt, and eggs. Marinade the chicken in buttermilk for 6 hours or overnight. Marinating the chicken tantalizes it and helps the salt spread evenly
Mix seasoning and, flour and cornstarch.
Coat chicken in flour, then fries until golden brown.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why add cornstarch?
A mixture of cornstarch and flour helps give the chicken a crunchy exterior.
Can I use drumsticks for southern fried chicken?
This recipe works for any part of the chicken. Just watch the oil temperature to make sure the chicken is evenly cooked.
Yes. You can use plain whole milk yogurt in place of buttermilk. Yogurt-Marinated Fried Chicken is a thing.
How long does it take to fry chicken?
Thighs and drumsticks take 8 minutes, or until the internal temperature in the center of the thickest part is 75°C / 167°F. Breast and wings take around 7 minutes (the internal temperature at the thickest part is 65°C / 150°F).
Can I freeze fried chicken?
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 reheated. For best results, reheat leftover fried chicken in a 350-degree oven for 15-20 minutes
What side go well with southern fried chicken?
You can serve this chicken with coleslaw, French fries, mashed potatoes, baked beans, or Mac and cheese. You can also dip the chicken in store-bought or homemade chicken dip or any dip of your choice. When it comes to this chicken recipe, the options are endless.
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Southern Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pounds chicken wings
Buttermilk Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon salt
Chicken Breading
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried herb thyme
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
Instructions
BUTTERMILK MARINADE
- In a bowl, combine buttermilk, salt and eggs. Whisk to blend.
- Pour over chicken and buttermilk mixture in a ziplock bag, shake the ziplock bag to distribute the buttermilk. Press out excess air, seal, refrigerate for 6 to 24 hours, turning once or twice depending on how long you are refrigerating.
- Pour chicken and marinade into a large bowl or skillet.
BREADING MIXTURE
- Whisk together flour, cornstarch, herbs and spices.
PREPARING OIL
- Heat oil over medium to high heat.
BREADING THE CHICKEN
- Remove the chicken wings from buttermilk and egg mixture and let excess drip off. Dip the wings to the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess flour on the chicken if any.
FRYING CHICKEN
- Fry and allow the chicken to cook for 6-8 minutes until golden brown before flipping and allowing to cook for another 6-8 minutes until golden brown on the other side
- Serve with French fries and the dip of your choice!
Video
Notes
- Marinade: although I only marinated my chicken wings for 6 hours, the best practice is marinating overnight. Marinating for 2 hours is practically okay if you are running out of time, although I would suggest taking all your time, to produce the best-fried chicken.
- If you want more flavor, I suggest adding more spices, especially onion powder and garlic powder. I might not have used chicken spice, but I suggest you add it to your breading if you have it in your pantry.
- The spices I have used are optional, you can replace them with spices of your choice.
- Buttermilk is necessary for this chicken recipe. If you can’t do it, then I suggest homemade buttermilk, mix a cup of milk with 1 teaspoon of vinegar, let the mixture sit for 10 minutes, then stir.
- Avoid overcrowding the pan or you might end up with golden brown raw chicken
- Only flip the chicken once during the cooking process. The breading may pull off if you keep on touching it.
Nutrition
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