Go Back

Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with a shatter-crisp crust and tender, juicy bone-in pieces, finished with classic white country gravy. The chicken is marinated in buttermilk, dredged in seasoned flour, then fried in a cast-iron skillet until deeply golden and cooked through (165°F).
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
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
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Buttermilk marinade
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 1 tsp hot sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
Chicken
  • 3 lb bone-in chicken pieces
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
  • 0.33 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 the chicken
  1. Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper together in a bowl until combined. Add bone-in chicken pieces, cover, and marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator (up to overnight).
Dredge
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove chicken from the marinade, letting excess drip, then dredge in the flour mixture and press to adhere.
Fry
  1. Heat vegetable oil to 325°F in a large cast-iron skillet. Fry the chicken 12-15 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to 165°F internal, adjusting heat to keep the temperature near 325°F.
Make country gravy
  1. Melt butter in the skillet, then whisk in flour and cook 1-2 minutes. Gradually whisk in whole milk and chicken broth, cook until thick, then season with plenty of salt and lots of black pepper.
Serve
  1. Serve the fried chicken smothered in country gravy with cracked black pepper on top as desired. Letting the gravy sit 1 minute helps it cling to the crunchy crust before serving.

Notes

Pro tip: Keep the oil steady at 325°F for a crisp, not greasy, crust—use a thermometer and adjust burner heat as needed. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat chicken in a 375°F oven until hot and crisp again. Freezing is best for the chicken without gravy (freeze up to 2 months), then thaw and re-crisp before serving. For a lower-fat option, use skin-on chicken but drain any excess oil after frying and make gravy with low-fat milk (texture will be slightly thinner).