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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with a shatteringly crunchy flour crust and classic southern-style country gravy. Marinated in buttermilk, then pan-fried in a cast-iron skillet until deeply golden and cooked through.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
marinating 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern American
Calories: 1700
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 3 lb bone-in chicken pieces
Buttermilk marinade
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Dredge
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 2 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
Frying
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying
Country gravy
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 0.333 cup flour
  • 2 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper lots, to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Marinate
  1. Mix buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper, then submerge the bone-in chicken pieces in the buttermilk mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour up to overnight.
Prepare dredge
  1. Whisk all dredge ingredients—flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper—in a shallow bowl until evenly combined. Keep it ready for dredging right after marinating.
Dredge and fry
  1. Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip off each piece, then dredge in the flour mixture. Press to help the coating adhere firmly.
  2. Heat vegetable oil to 325F in a large cast-iron skillet. Fry the chicken 12-15 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to 165F internal.
Make country gravy
  1. Melt butter, then whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and chicken broth until smooth.
  2. Cook the gravy until thick, whisking as needed, then season with plenty of salt and black pepper. Keep warm while the chicken finishes cooking.
Serve
  1. Serve the country fried chicken smothered in country gravy and finish with cracked black pepper for serving.

Notes

Pro tip: press the chicken firmly into the dredge so the crust grabs before frying, and don’t rush the oil temperature—325F helps it stay crunchy and cook through. Store leftovers in the fridge up to 3 days; reheat in a hot oven or skillet to re-crisp the crust. Freezing isn’t recommended for best texture. For a lighter option, use skinless chicken and swap whole milk for low-fat milk in the gravy (texture will be slightly thinner).