King Biscuit Recipe

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.

In a large bowl combine 2½ cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt; whisk to blend.

Cut the cold cubed butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter remaining.

Pour 1 cup cold buttermilk into the flour mixture and stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms; do not overmix.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, fold it over itself 3–4 times to create layers, and pat or roll to about 3/4-inch thickness.

Use a 2.5–3 inch round biscuit cutter to cut 4 large biscuits. Gently press scraps together and cut remaining biscuits if desired.

Place biscuits on prepared sheet close but not touching for taller sides. Brush tops with 2 tbsp melted butter.

Bake 12–15 minutes until golden brown and risen. Remove and keep warm until assembling.

Place 4 chicken thighs in a shallow dish. Pour 1 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp hot sauce over them, cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours) to tenderize.

In a wide shallow bowl whisk together 1½ cups flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.

Remove chicken from marinade letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing to adhere. For extra-crispy coating, dip back briefly in buttermilk and redredge in flour.

In a deep skillet or Dutch oven heat about 2–3 inches of vegetable oil (roughly 3–4 cups) to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, oil is ready when a small cube of bread browns in ~30 seconds.

Fry chicken in batches, skin side down first if using skin-on, without overcrowding. Fry 6–8 minutes per side (thighs) until golden-brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Adjust time for thickness.

Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if needed until service.

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the 4 slices of country ham and warm 1–2 minutes per side until edges begin to crisp. Remove and keep warm. Country ham is salty—no additional salt needed here.

In a large skillet over medium heat brown 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until no longer pink and edges are golden, about 7–8 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low and sprinkle 1/4 cup flour evenly over the sausage. Stir and cook 1–2 minutes to remove raw flour taste; this will form a roux with the sausage fat.

Slowly pour in 3 cups whole milk while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream if using for extra richness.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer. Continue stirring frequently; gravy will thicken in 5–8 minutes. If too thick, add additional milk 2 tbsp at a time to reach desired consistency.

Season with 3/4 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, and 1/4 tsp hot sauce (optional). Taste and adjust seasoning—remember sausage and country ham are salty, so season conservatively.

Keep gravy warm on the lowest heat, stirring occasionally until ready to serve.

Just before serving, melt 1 tbsp butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.

Crack each of the 4 eggs into the pan and cook over easy: cook until whites are set but yolks still runny, about 2–3 minutes, then gently flip and cook 10–20 seconds on the second side. Season eggs with salt and pepper to taste.

To assemble each King Biscuit: split a warm biscuit open and place the bottom half on a plate. Layer 1 slice warmed country ham on the biscuit, then one piece of fried chicken on top of the ham.

Ladle a generous 1/3 to 1/2 cup sausage gravy over the chicken, letting it run down the sides.

Set an over-easy egg on top of the gravy-covered chicken. Optionally spoon a little more gravy over the egg or place the biscuit top slightly ajar to show the egg.

Serve immediately while hot. Provide extra gravy on the side if desired.