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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with shatteringly crispy golden-fried coating and juicy interior, plus creamy white country gravy. The chicken is soaked in buttermilk and hot sauce, then dredged in spiced flour and pan-fried until deeply golden.
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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: Main Dish
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces (breasts or thighs)
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
Seasoned flour coating
  • 2 cups 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 cups whole milk
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.25 tsp pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak and prep
  1. Soak the chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
  2. Whisk together all seasoned flour coating ingredients in a shallow dish.
Dredge and fry
  1. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and dredge firmly in the seasoned flour; repeat the dip-and-dredge for extra crunch.
  2. Heat 2-3 inches of oil to 350°F in a large cast iron skillet.
  3. Fry chicken for 10-12 minutes per side until deeply golden and internal temperature reaches 165°F, then drain on paper towels.
Make the white gravy
  1. Whisk pan drippings and flour in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute.
  2. Gradually whisk in milk and cook until thickened, then season with salt and pepper.
Serve
  1. Serve chicken immediately with white gravy poured over the top.

Notes

Pro tip: press the chicken into the seasoned flour firmly so the coating adheres and stays crisp after frying. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container up to 3 days; reheat in a 375°F oven until warmed through for better crunch, but expect some texture softening. Freezing is not recommended because the fried coating can lose its crispness. For a dairy-light swap, use lactose-free buttermilk (or a lactose-free milk + acid equivalent) and lactose-free whole milk for the gravy.