My crispy chicken fried chicken recipe brings Southern charm right to the table! I always make this crispy, juicy chicken dish with creamy gravy when I’m craving comfort food.
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My Easy Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe
I first made my chicken fried chicken recipe after having it at a restaurant for the first time in a long time. It ended up bringing back a lot of nostalgic memories, and I started craving my grandma’s recipe. I remembered watching my grandma make this recipe and knew it was time to recreate it.
I stuck to my grandma’s classic preparation for this one. That meant getting the chicken marinated ahead of time in a combination of milk, hot sauce, and seasoning to really tenderize the meat and add flavor, then using a traditional dredging method before frying the chicken in hot oil.
Turns out, there is nothing quite like the smell of frying chicken to bring everyone to the table! Watching everyone’s faces as they dug into the super crispy chicken smothered in creamy gravy was so rewarding. Now, the family requests my chicken fried chicken every time we get together!
For more delicious chicken recipes, be sure to check out my chicken spaghetti, air fryer fried chicken, buffalo chicken wrap, baked chicken tenders, oven roasted chicken, and cast iron chicken breast!
What is Chicken Fried Chicken?
Chicken fried chicken is a classic Southern dish that makes for amazing comfort food. It’s just like chicken fried steak, except instead of beef, it uses chicken breast that’s breaded and fried, then smothered in creamy gravy.
I love making my easy chicken fried chicken recipe whenever I’m feeding a crowd! It’s simple to make, oh-so-delicious and satisfying, and always brings my whole family around the table.
Country Fried Chicken Ingredients
- Chicken breasts -sliced in half lengthwise
- Salt and pepper – to enhance the natural flavors of the chicken
- Milk – to marinate the chicken and help the seasonings stick to it
- Hot sauce – optional, but adds a nice kick
- Seasoning – paprika, garlic powder, onion powder
- All-purpose flour – to get the crispy outside layer
- Oil – to pan fry the chicken
- Butter – to add creaminess to the gravy
How to Make Chicken Fried Chicken
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
STEP TWO: In a medium bowl, mix the milk, hot sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the chicken to the milk mixture, ensuring it is fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
STEP THREE: In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
STEP FOUR: One piece at a time, remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge them in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure it is fully coated.
STEP FIVE: Heat the oil in a large skillet or deep fryer over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F or until a small drop of flour sizzles when added.
STEP SIX: Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, frying for 3–4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through.
STEP SEVEN: Transfer the cooked chicken to a cooling rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
STEP EIGHT: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
STEP NINE: Cook until the gravy thickens, about 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
STEP TEN: Drizzle gravy over the breaded chicken or serve on the side.
Tips for the Best Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe
- For a thicker breading and crispy coating, I’ll dip the chicken back into the marinade and dredge it in the flour a second time.
- Shake off the excess marinade before dredging the chicken. I’ve found this helps prevent the breading from becoming soggy.
- Fry the chicken in batches to maintain oil temperature and crispness.
- Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack instead of on a paper towel-lined plate. A wire rack lets the steam escape so it doesn’t make the breading soggy.
- Heat the oven to 200 degrees F to store the fried chicken if cooking in batches. This is my trick to keep all the chicken hot and crispy until I’m ready to serve!
Country Fried Chicken Variations and Substitutions
- I sometimes use buttermilk instead of milk for the marinade to get an extra thick and creamy flavor!
- For an even crispier coating, I add a bit of cornstarch to the flour before dredging the chicken.
- I like to use thighs, drumsticks, or wings instead of chicken breasts on occasion. I just make sure to use my meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of each piece reaches 165 degrees F.
- Adjust the amount of hot sauce based on everyone’s tolerance for spicy food. For the kids, I’ll even marinate some of the chicken in a separate bowl without any hot sauce.
- For an extra kick, I’ll add some cayenne pepper to the flour and seasoning mixture before dredging the chicken.
What to Serve with Chicken Fried Chicken
Whenever I make my easy country fried chicken recipe, it means I’m in the mood for serious comfort! So I always serve it up with cozy sides like mac and cheese in the Crock Pot with velveeta, cornbread stuffing, or mashed potatoes without milk topped with mushroom gravy.
For some yummy veggie sides, I like to make carrots in the Instant Pot, air fryer baked sweet potatoes, or creamed corn.
Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe FAQs
What’s the difference between chicken fried chicken and fried chicken?
Chicken fried chicken recipes usually use boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are breaded and then fried, just like chicken fried steak. Traditional fried chicken, on the other hand, calls for bone-in, skin-on chicken. Chicken fried chicken also is served with gravy.
How do I keep the breading from falling off country fried chicken?
For a really solid coating, I make sure the chicken pieces aren’t too wet after marinating and shake off any excess. I also use my fingers to press the breading firmly onto the chicken if necessary.
How do I store leftover chicken fried chicken?
If I think I’m going to have leftover chicken fried chicken breast, I leave the gravy off so it won’t make the breading soggy. I store the leftover chicken and leftover gravy in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
How do I reheat leftover country fried chicken?
To reheat country chicken fried chicken in the oven, I’ll preheat to 375 degrees F, then place the chicken on a baking rack over a baking sheet and heat for 15–20 minutes. I also like reheating my country fried chicken recipe in the air fryer preheated to 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes to get maximum crispiness!
To reheat the gravy, I put it in a pan on the stove over low heat and add a splash of milk to get the right consistency.
What size should my chicken breasts be?
For chicken fried chicken recipes, I start with 2 large chicken breasts, then slice them lengthwise so I end up with 4 thin pieces. This helps them cook evenly and gets the breading nice and crispy without drying out the inside of the chicken.
More Dinner Recipes
- Smothered pork chops
- Pulled pork in the oven
- Round steak
- Sirloin tip roast
- Pork tenderloin in the oven
Crispy Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 2 large chicken breasts sliced in half lengthwise (to make 4 thinner pieces)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Marinade:
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce optional
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
For the Breading:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Frying:
- Oil enough to fill a skillet at least 1 inch deep
For the Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the milk, hot sauce, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add the chicken to the milk mixture, ensuring it is fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
- In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Remove one piece of chicken at a time from the marinade. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure it is fully coated. For a thicker breading and crispy coating, dip the chicken back into the marinade and dredge it in the flour again. Repeat for all the pieces of chicken.
- Heat oil in a large skillet or deep fryer over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), or until a small drop of flour sizzles when added. Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil, frying for 3–4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (the internal temperature should reach 165 degrees F/74 degrees C). Transfer the cooked chicken to a cooling rack or plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the milk, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Cook until the gravy thickens, about 3–5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- For a thicker breading and crispy coating, dip the chicken back into the marinade and dredge it in the flour a second time.Â
- Shake off the excess marinade before dredging the chicken. This helps prevent the breading from becoming soggy.
- Fry the chicken in batches to maintain oil temperature and crispness.
- Drain the fried chicken on a wire rack instead of on a paper towel-lined plate. A wire rack lets the steam escape so it doesn’t make the breading soggy.
- Heat the oven to 200 degrees F to store the fried chicken if cooking in batches.
- Store leftovers in airtight container container in the fridge for up to 3 days with the chicken and gravy separate, if possible.
- To reheat in the oven, preheat to 375 degrees F, then place the chicken on a baking rack over a baking sheet and heat for 15–20 minutes. It can also be reheated in the air fryer preheated to 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes to get maximum crispiness!
- To reheat the gravy, put it in a pan on the stove over low heat and add a splash of milk to get the right consistency.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
