The Best Fried Chicken Recipe

Learn these few steps to make the best fried chicken recipe of all time that is crispy, juicy, and full of delicious flavor. This will absolutely become your new favorite fried chicken recipe.

Making the same chicken dishes repeatedly can be bland for you and your family. Break out of your regular routine by making my delicious Arroz con Pollo or Butter Chicken.

Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken is chicken parts that are breaded in seasoned flour and fried in oil until crispy and cooked throughout. The origin of it, in general, has been around since the Middle Ages and is said to be founded by the people of Scotland, who have a tradition of frying whole chickens in fat.

The history of it in the South stems back 3 centuries to African American slaves who became household cooks and furthered the tradition of frying chicken by incorporating seasonings and spices into the recipe. It is still often commonly made today and served in households and across the United States.

This is one of the most comforting foods to eat. It’s delicious, It’s pretty easy to make, and the ingredients aren’t too expensive. While all these things are true, it can be difficult to achieve maximum flavor, tenderness, and juiciness because of overcooking, seasoning, and breading falling off.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Brine – I made a simple brine using water, coarse salt, distilled vinegar, garlic, hot sauce, whole-fat buttermilk, and ice.
• Flour – You’ll need all-purpose flour for the breading.
• Cornstarch – I like adding cornstarch to the flour breading mixture to help make it fluffier and crispier.
• Seasonings – A simple combination of paprika, coarse salt, and freshly cracked pepper is all you’ll need.
• Oil – Any neutral flavored oil like canola, grapeseed, or vegetable oil will work. If you are looking to be on the healthier side, then avocado oil would be best.
• Chicken – I used a whole chicken and cut it into breasts, thighs, drums, and wings.

3 Secrets to Making the Best Fried Chicken

In my opinion, there are 3 secrets to making the best recipe around. While some other techniques can help you achieve good-tasting chicken, these steps are imperative. If you choose to skip any of these steps, I cannot guarantee the outcome.

1. Buttermilk Brining for at least 12 hours will help tenderize and flavor the chicken.
2. Double breading using cornstarch. This will ensure the chicken is extra crispy.
3. Rendered bacon fat incorporated into frying oil will aid in giving it its color as well as flavor.

Brining Chicken

Mix the water, salt, and vinegar into a pot and bring to a boil until the salt has dissolved. Add ice cubes to chill.

Add the brine to the buttermilk, garlic, hot sauce, and mix.

Place the chicken parts into the buttermilk brine, submerging it completely.

Marinate in the refrigerator overnight for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

How to Make Fried Chicken

1. Mix the flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl or loaf pan. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl or loaf pan, drain the buttermilk brine from the chicken into the bowl or pan. Set it aside.
3. Add the oil and bacon fat to a large cast-iron skillet and heat to 350°.
4. Next, add a piece of drained brined chicken to the seasoned flour and coat. Pat off any excess flour and submerge it into the brine coating it. Remove it again, add it back to the seasoned flour, and dredge it thoroughly, coating it. Set on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a plate. Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded.
5. Cook the chicken in batches in the oil, cooking it for 7-8 minutes per side until crispy golden brown and an internal temperature of 165°.
6. Drain the chicken on a rack over a sheet tray to collect the dripping oil, and then serve.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: This is meant to be eaten once it is done cooking. However, you can keep it warm on a rack over a sheet tray at low temperatures in the oven (200° to 225°) for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Reheat: Add it to a rack over a sheet tray and cook in the oven at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes or until hot. You can also refry the chicken in oil to re-brown and cook through. If frying, do so at 325°. If you microwave it, the breading can become soggy.

How to Store: Store the fried chicken, once cooled, in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It does not freeze that well because once thawed, the breading can become soggy.

Chef Note + Tips

• Another excellent option for the brine would be to use leftover pickle juice.
• The longer the marinade process, the more flavorful and tender the chicken will be.
• Cornstarch swells when being mixed with the hot oil, which makes the little granules of starch separate from each other, which is why it pushes outward from the chicken in layers. During the frying process, these granules lock into place, making the crispy, crunchy outside that is so coveted.
• I only season the cornstarch and flour with paprika, salt, and pepper, but you can also add things such as garlic, onion granules, cayenne, and herbs to help enhance the flavor.
• The hot sauce in the brine is optional.
• Feel free to use whatever pan or pot you have to fry the chicken in.

More Chicken Recipes

• Beer Can Chicken
• Chicken Cacciatore
• Smoked Chicken Wings
• Spatchcock Chicken
• Chicken Paprikash

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The Best Fried Chicken Recipe

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5 from 23 votes

Learn these few steps to make the best fried chicken recipe of all time that is crispy, juicy, and full of delicious flavor.

Servings: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 16 minutes minutes

Marinating Time: 12 hours hours

Total Time: 12 hours hours 31 minutes minutes

Ingredients 

US CustomaryMetric

For the Brine:

• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• ½ cup white distilled vinegar
• 1 cup ice
• 6 finely grated cloves of garlic
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 whole roasting chicken cut up into parts

For the Breading:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon coarse salt
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper

Miscellaneous Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups oil for frying
• 1 cup rendered bacon fat for frying

Instructions

• Brine: Add the water, salt, and vinegar to a small size pot and bring it to a boil until the salt has been completely dissolved.
• Immediately remove the brine from the burner and add in a heaping cup of ice cubes. Pour the mixture into a plastic bag along with the garlic, buttermilk, and hot sauce, and whisk to combine.
• Add the chicken parts to the plastic bag with the brine in it and submerge. Place in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Breading: In a bowl or loaf pan, mix together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, salt, and pepper until combined. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl or loaf pan, drain the buttermilk brine from the chicken into the bowl or pan.
• Next, add a piece of drained brined chicken to the seasoned flour and coat. Pat off any excess flour and submerge iy into the brine coating it. Remove it again and add it back to the seasoned flour and dredge it completely coating it. Set on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper or a plate. Repeat the process until all the chicken is breaded.
• Add the oil and bacon fat to a large cast iron skillet and heat to 350°.
• Cook the chicken in batches in the oil, cooking it for 7-8 minutes per side until crispy golden brown and an internal temperature of 165°.
• Drain the chicken on a rack over a sheet tray to collect the dripping oil.
• Serve hot!

Notes

can keep it warm on a rack over a sheet tray at low temperatures in the oven (200° to 225°) for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Reheat: Add it to a rack over a sheet tray and cook in the oven at 375° for 12 to 15 minutes or until hot. You can also refry the chicken in oil to re-brown and cook through. If frying, do so at 325°. If you microwave it, the breading can become soggy.

How to Store: Store the fried chicken, once cooled, in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It does not freeze that well because once thawed, the breading can become soggy.

Another excellent option for the brine would be to use leftover pickle juice.

The longer the marinade process, the more flavorful and tender the chicken will be.

Cornstarch swells when being mixed with the hot oil, which makes the little granules of starch separate from each other, which is why it pushes outward from the chicken in layers. During the frying process, these granules lock into place, making the crispy, crunchy outside that is so coveted.

I only season the cornstarch and flour with paprika, salt, and pepper, but you can also add things such as garlic, onion granules, cayenne, and herbs to help enhance the flavor.

The hot sauce in the brine is optional.

Feel free to use whatever pan or pot you have to fry the chicken in.

Nutrition

Calories: 614kcalCarbohydrates: 37gProtein: 29gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 149mgSodium: 673mgPotassium: 1059mgFiber: 5gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 820IUVitamin C: 22.2mgCalcium: 151mgIron: 7.5mg

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, southern

Author: Chef Billy Parisi