Southern Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe

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This crispy fried chicken recipe is a Southern classic!

If you love fried chicken, be sure to try these Chick-Fil-A nuggets, these fried chicken cutlets with milk gravy, and this oven-fried chicken breast, too!

How to Fry Chicken | 1-Minute Video

It seriously doesn’t get any better than a crispy fried chicken recipe that you can turn to again and again. File this one away, because the simple ingredients and easy technique will make this dish a staple in your home, too. It’s juicy, flavorful, and finger-lickin’ good!

Wonderful flavor. My husband and I both loved it.

– Tricia

A Few Tips Before You Get Started

You can use whole fryer chickens that you cut into pieces, or about 4 lbs. of bone-in skin-on chicken pieces. For instance, if you prefer just the chicken thigh, just the chicken breast, or only the drumsticks or wings, go with that!
The buttermilk is an important ingredient in Southern fried chicken, since it keeps the chicken tender and juicy, and also adds flavor to the meat. Because buttermilk is only slightly acidic, it tenderizes the chicken without toughening up the meat (like a stronger acid such as lemon juice or vinegar might). The enzymes in buttermilk also help to break down the protein in the chicken, resulting in tender, flavorful fried chicken.
Use either peanut oil, vegetable oil, or vegetable shortening to fry the chicken. I typically use peanut oil because it’s affordable, it has a high smoke point, and it will not flavor your meat. So long as you don’t smoke the oil or use it to fry fish, it’s fine to strain the oil, refrigerate it, and reuse it up to 3 times.
Adding a stick of butter to the frying oil adds so much great flavor to the chicken. I use salted butter, but unsalted butter will work, too.
Never cover your warm fried chicken with foil. This traps steam and moisture, which will make your chicken soggy. If you need to keep the chicken warm while you fry the remaining pieces in batches, place the pieces on a sheet pan in a 250 degree F oven.

Horizontal collage of step by step process shots showing how to make crispy fried chicken.

Directions

This down-home skillet fried chicken is an easy and delicious way to satisfy that craving. You’ll find step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s the overview:

Soak the chicken in buttermilk for at least 8 hours.
Combine the flour and seasoning in a large brown paper bag. This is the classic way to shake and coat fried chicken. If you don’t have a paper bag, you can use a sturdy plastic bag instead, or just dredge the meat in a large bowl.
Remove the chicken from the buttermilk. Place one piece of chicken in the bag at a time. Shake to coat. Transfer the chicken to a wire rack. Allow all of the coated chicken to dry for at least 30 minutes (or up to 1 hour). This ensures that the flour adheres to the meat.
Fry the chicken in a large cast iron skillet, Dutch oven, or deep fryer. You don’t need a thermometer to fry the chicken. Instead, when the oil is hot (but not smoking), add a drop of water to the pan — if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. To maintain a fairly steady temperature, don’t overcrowd the pan. When using a thermometer, keep the oil at about 350°F.
Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes, then turn the pieces over, cover again, and cook for about 10 more minutes. If you’re using a meat thermometer, white meat will be best at 165°F, while dark meat can be cooked to 170-175°F for the best texture.
Drain the chicken on a wire rack or paper towels. Season with salt and pepper while the chicken is still warm. The salt will adhere best to the warm chicken.

Horizontal front shot of the best Southern fried chicken recipe on a serving tray with coleslaw and cornbread in the background.

Serving Suggestions

While this crispy fried chicken recipe is a great dinner option, we normally serve it for lunch — especially picnics! Pair it with traditional coleslaw and corn sticks (shown here), or with creamy baked mac and cheese, jalapeno cheddar cornbread, potato salad, Southern-style green beans, Southern collard greens, or okra and tomatoes.

Horizontal overhead image of a tray of the best crispy fried chicken recipe.

Preparation and Storage Tips

Allow plenty of time to soak the chicken in buttermilk. At least 8 hours (or overnight) is ideal; however, in a pinch you can shorten this time to a few hours.
Fried chicken is best when it is fresh and the skin is still crispy. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days; however, the skin will not be as crispy when reheated.
How to Reheat: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and allow the chicken to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes (this ensures that it reheats evenly). Next, reheat the chicken (uncovered) until the skin feels hot and very crispy, about 15 minutes.

Square side shot of crispy fried chicken on a metal serving tray.

A simple recipe with delicious results!
The part that did make the difference to me was letting the breaded chicken rest on a wire rack before frying.
I have not done that in the past, and the breading came out too soggy. Thanks for the tip!

– Marina

More Fried Chicken Recipes to Try

1 large chicken (4 pounds), cut into pieces (or 3-4 lbs. of your favorite bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces)
3 cups buttermilk
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
2 cups peanut oil, vegetable oil, or vegetable shortening
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter

Place chicken in a bowl with the buttermilk. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
Place the flour, salt and cayenne in a large brown paper bag and gently shake to combine (if you don’t have a paper bag, you can use a large, sturdy plastic bag).
Remove chicken from the buttermilk. Add one piece of the damp chicken to the paper bag. Hold the bag closed and shake it so that the chicken is thoroughly coated.
Transfer the chicken to a wire rack; repeat with remaining pieces of chicken. Allow the chicken to dry for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a large cast iron skillet or Dutch oven with the butter over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (but not smoking), and a drop of water sprinkled into the pan sizzles, add the chicken, making sure you do not crowd the pan. Cover and cook until the chicken begins to turn brown, about 8-10 minutes (reduce the heat slightly, if necessary). Turn the pieces over, cover again, and cook for about 10 more minutes. Drain on a rack. Season warm chicken with additional salt and pepper, to taste. Repeat the process to cook the remaining chicken in batches. Serve warm, at room temperature, or even cold!

The nutrition information provided is merely an estimate, and does NOT include any butter, oil or buttermilk absorbed by the meat in the soaking and frying process.
If you have leftover buttermilk to enjoy after making this chicken, use it up in one of these other recipes with buttermilk (like chocolate cake, pancakes, mashed potatoes, or cucumber salad).

Serving: 1/4 of the chickenCalories: 466kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 37gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 143mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 377mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 267IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 21mgIron: 2mg

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe Variations

For even more flavor, add garlic, herbs, shallots, or onion to your buttermilk. The flavors will infuse the meat and add unique taste to your crispy fried chicken.
Season the flour mixture with other herbs and spices for more layers of flavor, too. For instance, try a teaspoon paprika, onion powder, 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder, 1-2 teaspoons pepper, oregano, thyme, or just about any other flavors that you like with your chicken.
Make it spicy by adding hot sauce to the buttermilk, or by including extra cayenne pepper in the flour dredge. If you don’t want it very spicy, omit the cayenne and just use ground black pepper to taste.