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Perfect Fried Chicken

By: Jennifer Anderson

Here are a few tips for getting juicy fried chicken with a crispy crust every time.

Fried Chicken Recipes

Classic Fried Chicken Side Dishes

Fried chicken is the all-American meal. And there are about as many "secret recipes" for fried chicken as there are dedicated home cooks who make it. If you're a first-time fryer, or you're just looking to refine your technique, we've got some pointers to help get you started.

Before You Fry

Frying chicken can be as simple or complicated an undertaking as you like.

Some cooks swear by soaking the chicken overnight in buttermilk--which flavors, moisturizes, and tenderizes the meat--before coating it in seasoned flour, while others insist that a coating of breadcrumbs or beer batter is the only way to fry. The best way to discover your favorite method is to experiment with different seasonings and techniques until you hit on the perfect preparation.

If you want to brine your chicken before coating and frying, see our Brining article for tips. Chicken pieces should be brined for only about an hour or so, not overnight.

Batter Up

Set up a "dredging station" to minimize mess and make clean-up easy. Work from right to left (or whatever is comfortable for you), with seasoned flour, egg batter, and bread crumbs/panko/coating mixture in shallow bowls or baking dishes. Have one "wet hand" and one "dry hand:" dip chicken piece in flour, coat with egg mixture, and use your "wet" hand to transfer chicken to the coating bowl.

Once all the pieces are coated, let them rest and give the coating a chance to adhere. (Do this step in the refrigerator if you won't be frying the chicken within half an hour.)

Pan-Fried Chicken

There is a world of difference between fried chicken that is juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside, and that which is soggy and soaked through with grease.

The most important factors contributing to perfect fried chicken are the temperature of the oil and the actual step of frying. Vegetable shortening, lard, and peanut oil are all popular frying mediums, as they have a high smoke point.

To get truly golden-brown and crispy chicken, you'll need a cast iron skillet. Cast iron simply cannot be beat for even heat distribution and temperature maintenance.
The fat should be about one inch deep; it should come halfway up the food.
Get the fat good and hot before adding the chicken: at least 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Carefully lower chicken pieces into the oil skin-side down. Start with the edge of the piece close to you, and lay it in the oil, working away from yourself to avoid spatters. Use tongs for extra protection.
Fry in batches: overcrowding the pan will lower the temperature of the oil dramatically, causing more oil to be absorbed and resulting in soggy, greasy chicken.
When the chicken pieces are deep golden brown, remove from the pan and transfer to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet to catch any drips. Insert an instant-read thermometer into the chicken to make sure it is fully cooked before proceeding with the next batch. The USDA's Food Safety & Inspection Service recommends cooking chicken to a minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.

"Smoke point" explained

Deep-Fat Fryers

It takes a lot of oil to deep-fry, and it's best to start with fresh oil every time. If you fry frequently, however, you may wish to strain your cooled cooking oil through a coffee filter. Impurities in the oil will lower the smoke point, it's more prone to rancidity, and old oil can impart off flavors to your food. We don't recommend using the same oil more than once.

Follow the steps outlined above for pan frying. For complete how-to instructions, see our Deep Frying article.

Deep Frying, Step by Step

Comments

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Beverly Jane

Jul. 9, 2009 9:54 pm

I am still trying to get my flour mixture/spiced exactly right. I do like to brine it first, rinse, then dip in buttermilk, then in my flour mixture. I do use cast iron but find that the chicken gets way too brown before it is evenly cooked though. Any hints as to what I am doing wrong? Appreciate any comments. Bev

Craig

Jul. 16, 2009 2:12 pm

Beverly, Try lowering the temperature of your oil a bit. It will take a bit longer to cook but the heat will get to penatrate the meat. When I encounter this problem, I typically lower the temp about 25 degrees. Another thing you can try is to use a smaller chicken. The larger the piece of meat, the longer it will take to cook. Good Luck! I'd love to hear if these suggestions helped you!

Bev

Aug. 6, 2009 9:37 am

Thanks for the tip from Graig. I too use buttermilk when frying my chicken. I found that when you use an electric skillet, the chicken is not as "pretty" as if you use the cast iron skillet.

jacquie

Aug. 10, 2009 1:40 pm

I learned to cook chicken from my father. Everyone loves his chicken!It is soaked in salt water over night. We only use flour to coat. Chicken is put in a hot skillet with hot oil, usually on medium-low heat and peppered. The key to crunchy and fully cooked chicken is to cover the chicken with a lid on both sides, about 15-20 minutes per side. Take the lid off at the end of cooking time and cook until brown. Hope this helps!

jessicaone

Sep. 15, 2009 2:47 pm

i always had problems with not getting chicken cooked threw and burning on the outside. my secret is when chicken just starts to brown add 2 TBS of water in pan cover with lid cook about 50 minutes turning occasionally.(water will steam chicken threw) it will continue to brown. take lid off last 10 or 15 minutes to turn crispy. perfect every time!

MsThang

Sep. 16, 2009 5:45 am

I love to fry chicken!! I think each culture is diffrent when it comes to this receipe. I like my chicken to have flavor so I use Adobo and Sazon' which is an spanish seasoning. Adobo gives it the flavor and Sazon' give the chicken that golden brown color. I sprinkle with black pepper and mix together the chicken and spices and then flour the chicken in a bag and coat each piece separately shake off excess flour and then deep fry chicken. I always poke hole in chicken while frying so the oil can cook the inside until it's well done. I know the chicken is done when it floats in the oil.

kay

Sep. 18, 2009 10:48 am

I am from fried chicken country, Sussex County in Delaware. I first dry my chicken off and put all dry seasons on it. (Salt, pepper, garlic powder, paperica, fried chicken seasoning, red seasoning salt), then I mix the same ingredients in the flour mixture. Sometimes I don't even dip the chicken in my wet batter. It still turns out perfect everytime and the secret is the iron frying pan. i don't always

cristhian

Sep. 25, 2009 11:15 am

I use the same method as MsThang. In addition to the Adobo and Sazon, I add parsley flakes, salt, pepper and garlic powder, let the chicken sit for 1 to 2 hours and then I prepare my flour mixture with the same ingredients, throw all the pieces in a plastic bag...no buttermilk needed. I use this same method for my fish, shrimp or pork, this is a must have recipe in my family at least 2 times a week.

linda

Sep. 25, 2009 11:27 am

Bev. Well it looks like I am to late. I see that others have suggested that you turn down you flame, and that is just what I wanted to say. Cast iron is the best and the flame to high is an easy fix. Now how about a peice of that great chicken!

Maribel Paredes-Nengasca

Oct. 2, 2009 11:30 pm

Hi Bev, How do you brine a chicken? Can't seem to find the exact proportions at the website. Thanks!

NJtoAL

Oct. 9, 2009 4:57 am

Maribel, I copied and pasted the brining instructions below. It was in the roasting chicken instructions: One secret to really flavorful, juicy roast chicken is brining: soaking in salt water. (Kosher chickens are already brined; this is one of the reasons why kosher birds tend to taste better than conventional chickens.) To brine a non-kosher chicken, Dissolve ½ cup kosher salt (or ¼ cup table salt) in two quarts of water. Immerse the chicken in the solution and place immediately in the refrigerator. You should let it soak for at least 1 hour, but no longer than five or six hours. Pour off the brine and rinse the chicken under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. For extra-crispy skin--and if you have the time--return the bird to the refrigerator and let it air-dry for another hour, or overnight, before roasting.

Duane

Oct. 10, 2009 6:14 pm

Id like some comments on my fried chicken recipe. originally it was my grandmas but ive "tweaked" it a bit. Consists of a buttermilk and egg wash, followed by a flour mixture of self rising flour, salt and pepper to taste, tbsp of onion powder and garlic powder, tbsp of seasoned salt, tsp of thyme and one tsp of rosemary and 2 tbsps of paprika. Fry only in vegetable oil. And be sure to remove skin before frying. I like this version quite a bit. But Ive only used it on legs. They are my kids favorite.

Kristy B

Oct. 12, 2009 10:42 am

I raise my own chickens and they get very large. I have found that boiling the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes the day before helps to make sure the pieces are fully cooked without burning the outside. Then when I fry I can cook it slow and let all the flavor soak in or cook it fast if I'm in a hurry.

sharon

Oct. 22, 2009 10:53 am

ok, i have tried this chicken recipe and failed miserably!!! i do everything that the recipe asks, but my chicken turns out way too hard, not crispy. and it doesn't seem to cook all the way because the coating is sooo darn hard. now what am i doing wrong, and how do i get it nice and crispy like kfc

Bandicoot

Oct. 28, 2009 10:38 am

The problem peopl ehave with the chicken getitng too brown is that the recommended deep fry temp of 35-375 is way too high for pan frying in a cast iron skillet. Cast iron retains a LOT of heat, so when you add the cold chicken the temperature of the oil doesn't drop as much as it would in a steel or aluminum pan. Start out with your oil no hotter than 325F and you shouldn't have a problem with over-browning.

Yendi

Nov. 4, 2009 6:55 pm

I soak mine in buttermilk over night and up to two nights ahead of time. Rinse and pat dry before coating. I solved the burning issue by taking the chicken out when it reached perfect color(start cooking the larger pieces first) and putting it in a 325`f oven until all the pieces are cooked. This maintains the temperature and assures a more even cooking. All pieces end up hot together.

kevin

Nov. 7, 2009 2:54 pm

My ex-wife's aunt soaks her chicken in ice water one hour before frying. The chicken absorbs the water so it can't absorb grease. I think she floured her chicken with all the spices you read above. Her's was tender, moist, not greasy, and crispy on the outside. Iron skillet was the type pan she used.

Megan

Nov. 11, 2009 2:03 pm

Thanks for all the great chicken frying idea's they helped me out so much, and my husband appriciates it too lol.

Barbara Passanisi

Nov. 11, 2009 8:12 pm

I have soaked my chicken in buttermilk overnight, then I dip in eggs,flour back to egg then coat them with instant potato flakes.

Craig B

Nov. 11, 2009 11:00 pm

I'm from the south and I love spicy food. For those of you who also like yours on the spicy side, try this. Do all of your normal prepping first. Coat chicken with mixture of buttermilk, eggs, and a hint of Tabasco. Let your chicken soak a little bit in this. Put some McCormick's Cajun Fish Fry in a ziploc baggy with a little bit of seasoned bread crumbs (for every cup of fish fry use a 1/4 cup bread crumbs). Coat chicken well with mixture and fry till done. Enjoy!

Sally

Nov. 12, 2009 5:31 pm

Please help me! I am new to this website and so far no one has seen my recipes. I think they are really good and hopefully you will too. Please check them out and review them. They are traditional Bulgarian and are for people who like trying new food and making quick and easy food. =D =D =D =D =D =D =D =D

JanetM

Nov. 17, 2009 6:57 am

Passed down by Mom, In a paper sack, I used to combine Pepperidge herb stuffing mix, flour and misc. herbs & spices, first dipping the chicken in egg beaten w/a little bit of milk. The chicken has always been great, but I'd like a change to call my own. Can I use some whole wheat bread crumbs w/added herbs & spices to mix with the flour? Also, in reading comments here, I see buttermilk as a common denominator. Would soaking my chicken in buttermilk & egg mixture before mixing in a flour mixture give me better fried chicken? I have no idea what the benefit of buttermilk is, but I'm thinking it's something great with so many using it. Thanks.

tequilarosa61

Nov. 20, 2009 6:11 am

I'VE SEEN FRIED CHICKEN SEASONING CALLED FOR IN RECIPES, BUT CANNOT FIND IT IN THE STORES. COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT STORES IT'S BOUGHT AT AND THE NAME BRAND? THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SDALLENHOU

Nov. 23, 2009 1:31 pm

The true secret to moist, perfect, not-too-brown fried chicken is to fry it just until the crust is the right color, remove it from the heat to a draining rack, and then bake it until the internal temperature is 165. Your chicken will be as moist as roast chicken yet have a delicious, crispy crust.

Craig B

Nov. 30, 2009 10:20 pm

JanetM That's the beautiful thing about so many different recipes, I think. You can use whatever you like or think would taste good and give it a try. Like I said in my earlier post, I'm from the south and I've always watched my grandmother and aunts use buttermilk and eggs to do a lot of their frying. I do believe that the buttermilk offers a little different flavor. So again...I say if you think it sounds good, give it a try and let us know how it comes out!

colleen

Dec. 2, 2009 12:40 pm

I like the idea of soaking the chicken in ice water an hour before..I'm anxious to try this out..awesome tip, thank you!

Richard

Dec. 7, 2009 11:20 am

Ice water soak sounds like a great trick. Will try it next time for sure.

Tracy

Dec. 16, 2009 8:28 am

If you feel your chicken isnt cooked through, you can bake it after its fried. Place on a cookie sheet and bake on 300' for 20 to 25 minutes. I would cover with foil if its already browned.

onecent42

Dec. 19, 2009 4:53 pm

all those recipes sound great, i have even used a few of them, but my sister in law makes the best southern fried chicken with just chicken, flour, salt & pepper! oh, and oil, it will make you hurt your self!

Amy

Dec. 20, 2009 5:08 pm

I'm from Jammaica, and we do Fried Chicken a lot here. A slillet works perfectly. I normally brine the chicken for a couple of hours or overnight. For brining i'll use chicken stock which gives the chicken a rich flavour. Then I'll dry the chicken and rub with spices (onion powder, garlic powder, chicken seasoning & a pinch of paprika). I'll then coat the chicken in flour and a bit of breadcrumbs (add a bit of the dry rub to the flour & b-crumbs). Ensure that the oil is hot enough so the coating of the chicken won't absorb the oil, as soon as the chicken heats up in the pan you can lower the heat so the chicken gets cooked through and gets a perfect golden colour with the right crispy texture. Time is roughly 12 - 15 mins on each side. Turns out awesome everytime!

Redhatchris

Dec. 27, 2009 7:58 pm

WARNING: the advice given by "jessicaone" to add water to pan is NOT FOR deep fried chicken. Please do not ever add water to hot grease, it will cause dangerous splattering and boiling up all over stove and create fire and burn hazards.

Steve Fairhurst

Jan. 2, 2010 4:25 am

For a spicy kick, after brining parts, dry rub w/ garlic and onion powders, cayanne and black peppers, poultry seasoning and hot paprika, then flour seasoned w/same rub, fry as is or dip in beer batter and fry 10 minites each side until golden brown. place in 325* oven on rack/pan for 15 mins or until done! - if you like buffalo chicken you should like this

Sherrie4222

Jan. 8, 2010 5:28 am

I adore fried chicken!! In my humble opinion, the ONLY way to make TRUE fried chicken is with a cast iron frying pan. My Family has always soaked in buttermilk. Then after drying off slightly, we take flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic salt or powder. The powder, which I use, is a stronger taste of garlic. I must admit that the next step is the most fattening way, (which is why we only have it once a month) I use shortening with a cube of butter, real butter. I HATE egg wash which is why I slightly dry chicken, shake it in the seasoned flour (in a brown paper bag, or baggy) and as the grease is getting to 350 I slowly sink the chicken in the lard & butter. I feel that if a lid is put on, it makes the chicken very greasy and dry the next day, so no lid for me & mine. I turn the chicken once, that way, I don't lose the wonderful coating. The suggestion about not adding water to the grease, is a LIFE saver!!! I fry two chickens at a time. I always fry white meat first, as it cooks faster than dark, plus those are the larger pieces. Then the rest is dark and of course between batches, I have to strain the crumbles as they burn. I lower the heat, and then add another cube of butter. I have tried to place the chicken in the oven, but I feel it dries the chicken out. Once I place the hot chicken on top the 1st batch, it gets warm again. Hope you enjoy!

bumpkin

Jan. 21, 2010 1:26 pm

I have a hard time with getting the crispy outside, crispy. Can anyone give me a tip?

Granny Zook

Jan. 26, 2010 10:58 am

No matter what recipe you use the secret is to have your heat high enough and oil hot enough that your skillet is seasoned with the heat and oil. at this point you place your coated ckicken into the skillet. You do not overfill the skillet. You gradually add your chicken pieces to maintain as close to the same hot temperature. when you add too much chicken to quickly the change in temperature will interfere with the cooking process. Cook without the lid for awhile watching it closely. Don't let it stick too much (keep it lose in the hot oil and let it get crispy on both sides, turn your fie down, by this time the internal temperature of the chicken pieces is hot and your oil temperature is stable. At this point 1/4 of your chicken from outside in is cooked. Turn your fire down to medium heat and fry longer. When chicken seems like it is half done you may put the lid on the skillet to contain the heat and cook longer until 3/4 done. then leave the lid off for the remainder of cook time. I like my chicken starting to fall off the bone. Enjoy, Grandma Zook

janee

Jan. 27, 2010 2:17 am

I am a 71-year-old gramma and have been cooking for a looong time; I'm pretty experienced but still cannot make fried chicken the way my mother used to. I've tried all you all's tips except the ice water soak. I'll do that this weekend and, if it improves my chicken, I will be forever grateful.

Sharon

Jan. 27, 2010 9:19 am

A relative cooked delicious chicken this way: fried the chicken (however you like), then put the chicken in a baking pan, pouring BBQ sauce over it, and baking until the sauce drenched the chicken. It was EXCELLENT!

ruthy

Jan. 27, 2010 9:31 am

i always try to make fry chicken with my own flour and my own seasonings but for some reason is missing flavor,with this ideas i could try new ways thank you.

Jaylor

Jan. 29, 2010 8:08 am

When you fry chicken use a simple fryer from Walmart. Season the chicken the night before, and seal it in ziploc freezer bags to keep the juice in. Once you take it out to cook, mix 3cups of flour 2tsp of garlic salt, 1 tbsp of Lawry's season salt 1 tsp of Salt and 1 tsp of black pepper. Mix well in the flour. Set your fryer on 365 with fresh cooking oil(vegetable or peanut). Set your fry timer for 18 minutes.. There you go perfect chicken. In the case of the spices you can mix any combo you prefer.

John

Jan. 30, 2010 6:40 am

When I was a growing up, there was a place called Nell's chicken in the box in VA Beach VA that made the best fried chicken. It was a batter dipped recipe and very crispy. Does anyone have a batter dipping recipe for fried chicken?

gakridge

Jan. 31, 2010 11:20 am

Years ago I got a new recipe for "apple brandy turkey" which I used at thanksgiving. I got rave reviews from all. So, I decided if it worked for turkey it would surely work for chicken. So, now before frying chicken I soak it overnight in apple juice and it gives it a wonderful taste and in fact, most of family members now do the same thing. In frying my chicken I use garlic powder, poultry seasoning, black pepper, parparika, salt, and a touch of ginger mixed w/flour. Dredging chicken 1st through the flour and then egg and back again for another coating of flour. Yummy and always a hit.

EdwinaAnderson@SELLETHICS.COM

Feb. 1, 2010 5:41 am

How do you keep the flour mixture on the while frying. I have this same problem with pork chops.

hazelnut

Feb. 4, 2010 5:57 am

I've been reading all the wonderful fried chicken recipes here. I'm drooling. Ha ha. Question...how does boneless chicken breast change everything? Temp, time, etc. Thanks!

Aliboo

Feb. 5, 2010 11:26 am

I have never been able to make great fried chicken, but I do remember my mom making a different variation. She would fry the chicken in an electric skillet and then drain off most of the grease, and leaving the drippings in the bottom she would add water and put the chicken back in. It made a lovely gravy and the chicken would get very tender. The crisp would be gone though, since it was simmered in gravy but was it good!

onequeen3

Feb. 7, 2010 7:07 am

I have found from my mother, grandma, and aunt that if you add cornmeal to your flour dredge you will have crispy chicken and enough drippings to make a wonderful milk country gravy. You also have to make sure not to rush to get the chicken done. Don't overdo the heat.

dough girl

Feb. 8, 2010 5:12 am

You can keep the flour mixture on the chicken and pork chops by letting the meat brown a little before you turn it. After turning put the lid on leaving a crack so the steam can escape.

Faust-bear

Feb. 10, 2010 12:53 am

does anyone have advive on dry dredge or wet if you are deep frying? just want a good crust was trying it at 350f

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