Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

Brine/Marinate

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Add 2 pieces of egg if desired? (Use eggs only in dredge — optional) Place the 3 chicken pieces in the buttermilk mixture, fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. This tenderizes and flavors the chicken.

Prepare Dredge

In a shallow dish, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup cornstarch, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried thyme (or oregano), and 1/2 tsp baking powder. Mix well so spices are evenly distributed.

Wet Dredge

In a second shallow bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1/4 cup whole milk until smooth. Remove the marinated chicken from the fridge. Let excess buttermilk drip off each piece into the bowl, then dunk each piece into the egg mixture, coating thoroughly before transferring to the flour mixture. Press the flour mixture onto the chicken to form a thick crust. For extra-crispy results, double-dredge: after first coating, dip back into egg mixture briefly and re-coat in flour.

Heat Oil

Pour 4 cups of neutral oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet to a depth of about 1.5 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 325–350°F (use a thermometer). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil — it should sizzle steadily without burning.

Fry Chicken

Carefully add the chicken pieces to the hot oil, skin-side down, without overcrowding (fry in a single layer; cook in batches if needed). Maintain oil temperature around 325–335°F to cook through without overly browning the crust. Fry 12–15 minutes for medium pieces (adjust time for size) turning once halfway so both sides brown evenly. The internal temperature should reach 165°F at the thickest part. If crust darkens too quickly, lower the heat slightly and cover loosely with a splatter screen.

Rest

Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet and tent loosely with foil. Sprinkle lightly with 1/2 tsp kosher salt while hot. Let rest 8–10 minutes to finish cooking and keep crust crisp.

Cook Potatoes

Place 1.5 lbs peeled and cubed potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook until fork-tender, about 12–15 minutes.

Mash

Drain the potatoes well and return them to the warm pot off heat for 1 minute to dry out. Add 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 cup warm milk or cream, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Mash with a potato masher or use a hand mixer briefly until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Keep warm while making gravy.

Make Gravy

After frying chicken, reserve 2 tablespoons pan drippings in a skillet (if using a separate frying vessel, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter). Over medium heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1–2 minutes to form a roux without browning too much. Gradually whisk in 2 cups chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, bring to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If gravy is too thin, simmer a bit longer; if too thick, whisk in a splash of stock or milk.

Warm Biscuit

Warm the store-bought or homemade biscuit in a 350°F oven for 5–8 minutes until heated through and slightly crisp on top. Split the biscuit and drizzle each half with 2 teaspoons honey at serving time.

On each plate arrange one hot biscuit with honey, three pieces of fried chicken (or if serving family style place three on a plate), a generous scoop of mashed potatoes, and ladle gravy over the potatoes or serve on the side. Garnish potatoes and chicken with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately so the chicken stays crisp.