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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with a shatteringly crispy, golden spiced coating and a juicy interior, finished with classic white country gravy. Bone-in chicken is soaked in buttermilk and hot sauce, dredged firmly in seasoned flour, then fried until deeply golden and 165°F.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
soaking 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 1250
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces breasts or thighs
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
Seasoned flour coating
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying
White gravy
  • 2 tbsp pan drippings
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.25 salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak the chicken
  1. Soak the chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Let the chicken sit covered so the coating sticks and the meat stays juicy after frying.
Coat with seasoned flour
  1. Whisk together all seasoned flour coating ingredients in a shallow dish until evenly combined.
  2. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge firmly in the seasoned flour.
  3. Dip and dredge again for extra crunch so the coating shatters when fried.
Fry until deeply golden
  1. Heat 2-3 inches of oil to 350°F in a large cast iron skillet.
  2. Fry chicken for 10-12 minutes per side until deeply golden, then drain on paper towels.
  3. Verify doneness by checking the internal temperature reaches 165°F before serving.
Make the white gravy
  1. For the gravy, whisk pan drippings and flour in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
  2. Gradually whisk in whole milk and cook until thickened, stirring to prevent lumps.
  3. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Serve the fried chicken immediately with white gravy poured over the top so it pools around the base.

Notes

For maximum crunch, dredge firmly and do not let the coated chicken sit too long before frying. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer until hot. Freeze fried chicken for up to 2 months (gravy separately if possible) for best texture. For a lighter swap, use low-fat milk in the gravy (texture may be slightly thinner).