There's something insanely irresistible about hot, crispy fried chicken—and once you learn how to fry chicken at home, you'll never look back. Everyone (chefs and grandmas alike!) claim to have the "perfect" recipe, using their own special coating and signature spice blends, but the truth is that anyone can learn how to make fried chicken perfectly—you just need to get the hang of it. Deep-frying can be intimidating to many home cooks, but it shouldn't be: You just need a few simple tools and a little bit of time—we'll walk you through it! Don't be turned off by all the oil—you can reuse it when you're done.Just let the oil cool completely after frying, then strain it, refrigerate it, and use it again (never pour oil down the drain). Once you master how to make fried chicken, you'll be serving up big batches for picnics and parties with fun Southern sides like biscuits, collards, and slaw—it'll be your new party trick. And one of the best things about fried chicken is that you can eat it at room temperature (we even love it cold from the fridge!). Follow this foolproof recipe and you're golden.
What kind of chicken should I buy?
We like skin-on, bone-in chicken for frying—the skin gets crispy and the meat stays nice and juicy. Any chicken part can be fried—even the wings. You can buy a package of chicken parts at the store or you can buy a whole chicken and cut it into pieces yourself (breasts, drumsticks, thighs, and wings). Or, just buy a package of the parts you like best. If you’re a dark-meat lover, pick up some drumsticks and thighs, or if you prefer white meat, go breasts only. FYI: Breasts take slightly longer to cook.
What kind of oil should I use?
Opinions vary! Some people like shortening or lard, others prefer oil, and many like a combination of the two. The important thing is to use something with a high smoke point (meaning that it can be heated to a high temperature without burning). Think vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil. Don't use olive oil or butter—they both have lower smoke points. The ideal temperature for frying chicken is 350˚ to 365˚, and you'll want to make sure that you bring the oil back to temperature between batches.
Do I need to brine chicken before frying?
Our favorite way to make fried chicken is using a buttermilk brine. Mix up your buttermilk brine or just use straight buttermilk (feel free to customize it with your favorite hot sauce!) and let the chicken sit in the mixture for a few hours or overnight. This step tenderizes the chicken and adds tons of flavor.
Do I need special equipment for frying chicken?
You probably already have everything you need! Southern cooks often use a cast-iron skilletto make fried chicken,but if you're just learning how to fry, you may want to use something deeper. Try a Dutch oven:It conducts heat well and has higher sides to keep theoil contained. You should have long tongs on hand to add the chicken to the hot oil and take it out—this will help reduce any splattering.It's also useful to have two kinds of thermometers: A deep-fry thermometer or candy thermometer can be used to test the oil temperature and a meat thermometer is good for checking the internal temperature of the cooked chicken.
How should I safely fry chicken at home?
When you're deep-frying, it’s best to plan ahead so that there's no last-minute reaching or scrambling. Set up a fry station: Fill your Dutch oven with oil and attach a deep-fry thermometer to the pot before you turn on the heat. Have your chicken breaded and ready to go, then use long tongs to carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil and take it out—you want to keep your hands as far away from the oil as possible.
How long does it take to fry chicken?
Frying chicken is a great weekend project—you’ll need a few hours from start to finish, or longer if you're brining overnight. The good news is that most of this time is hands-off!
What’s the best way to serve fried chicken?
Fried chicken needs to drain for at least 10 minutes: Arrange it on a rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet to catch any drips—this will leave room for air to circulate around the chicken so that it doesn’t get soggy. We love fried chicken with traditional Southern sides like slaw, sautéed greens, mashed potatoes, biscuits, or cornbread, but you really can’t go wrong!
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- Yields:
- 4 serving(s)
- Prep Time:
- 1 hr 30 mins
- Total Time:
- 10 hrs
Ingredients
- 2
fryer chickens, each cut into 8 pieces
- 4 1/2 c.
buttermilk
- 5 c.
all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp.
seasoned salt, such as Lawry's
- 2 tsp.
paprika
- 2 tsp.
freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp.
ground dried thyme
- 1 tsp.
cayenne pepper, plus more for seasoning
- 1/4 c.
milk
Canola or vegetable oil, for frying
Directions
- Step1Thoroughly rinse the chicken pieces, then place them in a bowl and cover with 4 cups of the buttermilk. Soak in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours.
- Step2When you're ready to fry the chicken, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, just to take the chill off.
- Step3In the meantime, preheat the oven to 360˚ and mix up the breading. Place the flour, seasoned salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme and cayenne (plus extra cayenne if you like heat) in a very large bowl. Stir together well.
- Step4In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and gradually mix with a fork until there are little lumps throughout; these will adhere to the chicken and make for a crispier breading. If necessary, add a little more flour or milk to make the breading slightly lumpy.
- Step5Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch ovenover medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 365˚. Lower the heat slightly, if necessary, to keep the oil from getting hotter.
- Step6Working in batches, thoroughly coat each chicken piece with breading, pressing extra breading onto the chicken if necessary. Place the breaded pieces on a plate.
- Step7Add the breaded chicken to the oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time; make sure they don't stick together. Cover the pan and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the chicken isn't getting too brown. Turn the pieces over, cover again, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. All the while, monitor the temperature of the oil to make sure the chicken doesn't burn.
- Step8Transfer the fried chicken to a baking sheet and continue frying the rest of the chicken. When all the chicken has been fried, remove the wings and legs to a rack set over a paper towel-linedbaking sheet and keep covered. (These should be cooked all the way through by now, but always check if any pink juice or meat is visible. If so, return to the hot oil for another minute or so, until fully cooked.) Leave the thighs and breasts on the baking sheet.
- Step9Bake the thighs and breasts for 15 minutes to finish cooking. (You can cut into the thicker part of one of the larger pieces just to make sure the chicken is cooked through. If any pink juice or meat is visible, the chicken needs to continue cooking in the oven.) Drain on the rack set over the baking sheet.
