Here’s a classic fried chicken recipe—crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside 🍗
Classic Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 2–3 lbs chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings)
- 2 cups buttermilk (or regular milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- Oil for frying (vegetable or canola)
Instructions
- Marinate chicken
- Place chicken pieces in a bowl or zip-top bag.
- Pour buttermilk over chicken, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (overnight is best).
- Prepare coating
- In a shallow dish, mix flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
- Coat chicken
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Dredge in flour mixture, pressing lightly to coat evenly.
- Heat oil
- Pour enough oil into a deep skillet or Dutch oven to reach 1–2 inches deep.
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry chicken
- Fry chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Cook 12–15 minutes per side (depending on size) until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve
- Serve hot with sides like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or biscuits.
Tips & Variations
- Extra crispy: Double-dip: flour → buttermilk → flour.
- Spicy kick: Add cayenne or chili powder to the flour mixture.
- Oven finish: Fry until golden, then bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes to finish cooking through.
- Herb flavor: Add dried thyme, oregano, or rosemary to the flour.
I can also give you a crispy oven-baked version, a spicy Nashville-style fried chicken, or a Korean-style double-fried chicken recipe if you want.
