Southern Soul Food Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Southern Fried Chicken
Sink your teeth into this perfectly crispy, golden-brown fried chicken with an incredibly juicy and flavorful interior. It's the ultimate Southern comfort classic that will leave everyone craving more.
Contains common allergens
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Good to know
- Crispy
Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: crispy recipes
Instructions
6 steps- 1
Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, submerge the chicken pieces in buttermilk and a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to tenderize the meat.
- 2
Prepare the Dredge: In a wide, shallow dish, thoroughly whisk together the flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, kosher salt, and black pepper.
- 3
Bread the Chicken: Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip off. Vigorously toss the chicken in the seasoned flour, pressing the flour into all crevices. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack and let it rest for 15 minutes so the coating adheres.
- 4
Heat the Oil: In a deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, pour the oil to a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers exactly 350°F (175°C).
- 5
Fry the Chicken: Carefully lower the chicken pieces into the hot oil, skin-side down, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for 12 to 15 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the crust is a deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165°F (74°C).
- 6
Rest and Serve: Transfer the fried chicken to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving to keep the crust crispy and the meat juicy.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
63/100
Works for many families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving280
Calories
11 g
Protein
54 g
Carbs
2 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Fried chicken became a cornerstone of Southern Black cooking partly because frying was one of the few skilled tasks enslaved cooks controlled in plantation kitchens, and a fried bird traveled and kept well for church suppers and railroad journeys when other food could not. The buttermilk soak and heavily seasoned flour crust are hallmarks of this African American tradition, distinct from the plainer pan-fried versions of the British settlers who first brought the technique.
Listahan note
This version leans on a long buttermilk marinade (4 hours to overnight) and a 15-minute rest after dredging so the seasoned flour fuses into a craggy crust that survives the fry instead of sloughing off.
Technique cues
- The acid and enzymes in buttermilk tenderize the meat over the long soak, which is why the recipe asks for at least 4 hours rather than a quick dip.
- Resting the dredged pieces on a wire rack for 15 minutes lets the flour hydrate into a paste that grips the skin, so the coating sets rather than flaking off in the oil.
- Holding the oil at exactly 350F matters because the 12-to-15-minute fry has to cook bone-in pieces through to 165F internal without scorching the crust first.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Whisk the seasoned dredge and heat the oil to 350F while the last marinated pieces drip and rest on the rack.
- Make-ahead
- Start the buttermilk soak the night before so frying day is just dredge, rest, and fry.
- Leftover move
- Cold fried chicken is a Southern picnic staple, or reheat in a 375F oven on a rack to re-crisp the skin.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Let the frying oil cool fully in the skillet, then strain it through a coffee filter back into a jar for one more fry.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Main protein
Purpose: Bone-in, skin-on pieces stay juicy through the long fry and give the crust skin to anchor to.
Handling: Cut into 8 even pieces so legs and breasts finish frying at close to the same time.
Adaptation: All thighs work and are more forgiving; cook time shortens slightly since there are no large breast pieces.
buttermilk
Tenderizing marinade
Purpose: Its acidity breaks down the meat and its cling helps the flour adhere into a thick coat.
Handling: Submerge the chicken fully and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
Adaptation: Whole milk soured with a tablespoon of lemon juice per cup gives similar tang and cling.
all-purpose flour
Crust base
Purpose: It forms the structural craggy coating that crisps in the hot oil.
Handling: Whisk thoroughly with the spices so seasoning is even before dredging.
Adaptation: Cutting in a quarter-cup of cornstarch yields a lighter, crispier shell.
smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper
Seasoning blend
Purpose: These build the savory, smoky, gently spicy backbone that defines the crust's flavor.
Handling: Measure and whisk into the flour evenly so no piece comes out bland.
Adaptation: Sweet paprika plus a pinch of chipotle covers the smoke if you want less heat from the cayenne.
peanut oil or vegetable shortening
Frying medium
Purpose: Its high smoke point holds a steady 350F so the crust browns without burning.
Handling: Pour to a 2-inch depth in a cast-iron skillet and bring to temperature before adding chicken.
Adaptation: Refined vegetable or canola oil frees the dish from the peanut allergen with the same smoke point.
Technique notes
- Lower pieces in skin-side down and do not crowd the pan; too many at once drops the oil temperature and steams the crust soft.
- Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part rather than the clock, since a 3.5-lb bird's pieces vary in size.
- Drain on a wire rack, never paper towels, so trapped steam does not soften the bottom crust.
Ingredient swaps
- Peanut-free direction
- Fry in refined canola or vegetable oil instead of peanut oil; smoke point and result are unchanged.
- Gluten-free direction
- Swap the all-purpose flour for a 50/50 blend of rice flour and cornstarch; the crust comes out even crispier.
- Lower-sodium direction
- Cut the kosher salt in the dredge to 1.5 tsp and salt the buttermilk soak lightly instead.
Serve alongside
- Buttermilk mashed potatoes with white gravy
- Cast-iron cornbread
- Tangy coleslaw
- Stewed collard greens
- Iced sweet tea
- Cold buttermilk
- Light lager
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Refrigerate cooled chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat on a wire rack in a 375F oven for 12 to 15 minutes to restore crispness rather than microwaving.
- Freeze cooked pieces up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before oven-reheating.
Equipment
- Deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven
- Deep-fry thermometer
- Wire rack set over a baking sheet
- Instant-read thermometer
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