Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe
This Crispy Fried Chicken is flavorful and so delicious. With a crunch, crispy skin, and juicy meat, you will love this great recipe!
Print
Servings: 5
Calories: 679kcal
Equipment
- 1 large Mixing Bowl
- Whisk
- Plastic Wrap
- 1 large Shallow Dish (or a paper grocery bag)
- 12-inch or larger Skillet with 3”-4” inch tall sides (cast iron is best, also a Dutch oven works. 2 skillets lets you cook this recipe even faster)
- Tongs
- Baking Sheet Pan
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
- 5-7 Chicken Legs bone-in
- 5-7 Chicken Thighs bone-in
- Kosher Salt and White Pepper or black pepper, to taste
Marinade
- 3 Eggs beaten
- 2-2 ½ cups Buttermilk use more for more chicken
- ⅓ - ½ cup Buffalo Style Hot Sauce* optional, but so good!
For Frying
- 1 quart Vegetable Oil or peanut oil, canola oil. If using 2 skillets, double amount
Breading Flour Mixture
- 2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour or use self-rising flour
- ¼ cup Cornstarch omit if using self-rising flour
Seasonings for the Breading (choose one of the 3 options)
Add seasonings to the flour mixture for some flavor (you don’t want bland fried chicken)
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper (or Black Pepper)
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
Or try this flavorful seasoning:
- 2 Tablespoons Cavender’s Greek Seasoning or similar
Or try this flavorful homemade spice blend:
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon White Pepper use black if that’s all you have
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika not the hot variety
- 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 2 teaspoons Onion Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1 teaspoon Dried Basil
- ½-1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper optional
Instructions
Marinate the Chicken
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add them to the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours (or as long as you can up to 24 hours).
- Take the chicken out of the fridge about 1 hour before frying so it isn't so cold. Also start heating up the oven to 200°F.
Heat the Oil
- Add the oil to a skillet with 3”-4” tall sides (cast iron is great, or a Dutch oven) until it is about ¾ to 1-inch deep. Start heating the oil over medium heat, you will want the oil to reach 350°F before you start frying the chicken. It will take about 5-10 minutes for the oil to heat. Keep an eye on it, you don’t want it to heat up too fast (An instant read thermometer is so helpful for keeping track of the oil temperature, as well as the chicken temp.).
Prepare the Breading
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. You can use a large, shallow bowl to dredge, or a bag (I use a paper grocery bag) to shake. Add flour mixture to the bowl or bag.
Fry the Chicken (You will need to fry it in batches)
- Remove 1 piece of the chicken at a time from the marinade, shaking the excess off, and add to the bowl or bag of breading. Dredge both sides (bowl) of each piece, or close the bag tightly and shake a few times to coat the 3-4 chicken pieces evenly. Tap the excess breading off. Then carefully place 3-4 pieces of breaded chicken into the 350°F oil, one at a time. Don’t overcrowd them.
- Fry the chicken on one side for about 6 or 7 minutes, until golden brown, then use tongs to turn the pieces over and fry for another 6 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown on the other side and the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F (use an instant read thermometer if you can). Note: Smaller pieces may cook faster, larger pieces may need a little more time.
Keep Chicken Warm
- Remove the chicken pieces, using tongs, to a wire rack on a baking sheet and place in the warm oven (only about 200°F) to keep the chicken warm while you fry the remaining pieces (if you don’t have a wire rack, just use paper towels on the baking sheet).
- Serve hot. We enjoy cold as well, especially at a picnic!
Notes
Buttermilk Substitute
Yogurt or a mixture of milk with a Tablespoon of lemon juice per cup of milk can replace buttermilk in a pinch.Hot Sauce
*The hot sauce doesn't make your fried chicken spicy. I like to use Frank's Red Hot® and the flavor comes through subtly, but not the spice. Add some cayenne pepper to the breading mixture if you want some heat.Nutrition
Calories: 679kcal