Fried Chicken Recipe
This fried chicken recipe makes extra crispy, golden brown chicken with juicy meat inside. Perfectly seasoned and simple to make at home.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
- 3–4 pounds chicken pieces drumsticks, thighs, wings, or bone-in breasts
- 2 cups buttermilk for marinating
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce optional, adds subtle heat
- For the Seasoned Flour Coating
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper optional, for spicy fried chicken
- For Frying
- 4 cups vegetable oil or peanut oil enough to fill a Dutch oven halfway
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken (at least 1 hour, preferably overnight).
- Place chicken pieces in a large bowl. Cover with buttermilk and hot sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
- Prepare seasoned flour (5 minutes).
- In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
- Coat the chicken (10 minutes).
- Remove chicken from buttermilk. Dip each piece of chicken into the seasoned flour, pressing the flour onto the surface to create a thick coating. Place coated chicken onto a baking sheet.
- Heat the oil (10 minutes).
- Fill a Dutch oven or deep pot halfway with oil. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (use a thermometer for accuracy).
- Fry the chicken (12–15 minutes per batch).
- Working in small batches, carefully lower chicken pieces into the hot oil with tongs. Fry until golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal temp). Dark meat usually takes 14–16 minutes; wings may take 8–10 minutes.
- Drain & rest (5 minutes).
- Remove fried chicken with a slotted spoon and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Let rest 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
Notes
- Keep oil hot (325–350°F) for crispy results.
- Don’t overcrowd the pot—fry in batches.
- Double dredge for extra crispy fried chicken.
- Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet for maximum crunch.
- Avoid flipping too often to prevent breaking the crust.
- Store leftovers in the fridge (3 days) or freezer (2 months).
- Reheat in the oven at 375°F for 15 minutes to stay crispy.