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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with shatteringly crispy, crunchy spiced coating and juicy meat, finished with classic white country gravy. Bone-in pieces soak in buttermilk and hot sauce, then dredge and fry until deeply golden and cooked through, with 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: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 950
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces breasts or thighs
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
Seasoned flour coating
  • 2 cup 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
  • vegetable oil for frying
White gravy
  • 2 tbsp pan drippings
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak and dredge
  1. Soak the bone-in chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight, fully submerged. You should see the coating develop lightly as the chicken firms up in the dairy mixture.
  2. Whisk together all seasoned flour coating ingredients in a shallow dish until the spices are evenly distributed. The mixture should look uniform and speckled with paprika and pepper.
  3. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off back into the bowl. Keep the chicken coated but not pooling wet liquid before dredging.
  4. Dredge the chicken firmly in the seasoned flour, pressing so the coating adheres. For extra crunch, repeat the dip-and-dredge once more so the surface becomes thick and rough.
Fry
  1. Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a large cast iron skillet. Use a steady oil temperature so the crust turns golden without burning.
  2. Fry the chicken for 10-12 minutes per side until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Flip once carefully when the first side is crisp and set, and keep the coating shatter-crisp and golden.
  3. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels. Let it rest just long enough for excess oil to stop dripping, keeping the crust intact.
Make the white country gravy
  1. Whisk the pan drippings and flour in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Stir until it looks smooth and slightly toasted, indicating the flour is cooked.
  2. Gradually whisk in the whole milk and cook until thickened. The gravy should become glossy and pourable, coating the back of a spoon.
  3. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust so the flavor pops without overpowering the chicken.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken immediately with white gravy poured over the top. Aim for gravy that pools around the base while the coating stays crisp.

Notes

Pro tip: press the dredge firmly and repeat the dip-and-dredge for extra crunch so the coating stays thick through frying. Refrigerate cooked leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days; re-crisp in a hot oven if desired (freezing cooked chicken is possible, but the coating may soften). For a lighter option, use low-fat buttermilk (or a buttermilk alternative) and keep the gravy thickness the same with the same flour amount.