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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with a buttermilk soak and shatteringly crisp, spiced flour coating. Pan-fried to deeply golden, then served with thick white country gravy pooling around every bite.
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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
Calories: 850
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces Use breasts or thighs.
  • 2 cups buttermilk For soaking and flavor.
  • 2 tsp hot sauce Adds tang and seasoning to the soak.
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 Use enough for 2–3 inches of oil in the skillet.
White gravy
  • 2 tbsp pan drippings From the fried chicken skillet.
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cups whole milk
  • 0.25 tsp salt and pepper to taste Season at the end of cooking.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak the chicken
  1. Soak the bone-in chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight, keeping the chicken fully submerged so the coating bonds well.
  2. While the chicken soaks, refrigerate it if soaking longer than 30 minutes to keep the coating work surface cold and controlled.
Coat for extra crunch
  1. Whisk together all seasoned flour coating ingredients— all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper— in a shallow dish until evenly colored.
  2. Remove chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge firmly in the seasoned flour to form an even crust.
  3. Repeat the dip-and-dredge for extra crunch by dipping back briefly in the buttermilk mixture and dredging again, pressing so the flour adheres.
Fry the chicken
  1. Heat 2–3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a large cast iron skillet so the coating fries quickly and stays crisp.
  2. Fry the chicken for 10–12 minutes per side at 350°F until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  3. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels briefly so steam escapes and the crust shatters instead of turning soft.
Make the white gravy
  1. For the gravy, whisk pan drippings and flour in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute to cook off raw flour flavor.
  2. Gradually whisk in whole milk and cook until thickened, stirring to keep the gravy smooth.
  3. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste, then keep it warm while the chicken finishes draining.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken immediately with white gravy poured over the top so the crunchy coating stays intact while the gravy pools around the base.

Notes

For the crispiest country fried chicken, keep the oil steady at 350°F and press the seasoned flour firmly during dredging; avoid moving the chicken around in the oil until it naturally releases. Refrigerate leftovers in a covered container for up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer for best texture. Freezing is not recommended because the coating softens after thawing. For a lighter option, use low-fat buttermilk in the soak and whole milk can be replaced with 2% milk while whisking the gravy to your desired thickness.