Hey there, fried chicken fanatics! Get ready to up your cooking game with this easy Fried Chicken Recipe! In only 3 steps (brine, dredge, fry), you'll be whipping up crispy, juicy goodness that's perfect for any occasion, from laid-back summer BBQs to cozy holiday feasts. Say goodbye to bland chicken dinners and hello to finger-licking pieces of chicken!
Fried chicken enjoys widespread popularity year-round, but it often becomes a star dish during summer gatherings like picnics and barbecues. Additionally, it's a beloved option for special occasions and holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, offering a flavorful alternative to traditional feasts.
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🌟 Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Ease of Preparation: This recipe simplifies the process of making fried chicken with clear instructions and basic ingredients, making it accessible even for beginner cooks.
- Deliciously Crispy Texture: With its unique seasoning mix and careful frying technique, this recipe ensures each bite is crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, satisfying the craving for perfectly fried chicken.
- Versatile Flavor Profile: The blend of spices in the seasoning mix allows for customization, catering to varying taste preferences, whether you prefer a mild seasoning or a spicier kick.
🥘 Ingredients
Each ingredient in this recipe is carefully selected to enhance the flavor, texture, and juiciness of the fried chicken. From the brine that tenderizes the meat to the flavorful blend of spices in the seasoning mix, every component plays a crucial role in creating a deliciously satisfying dish.
Chicken Preparation:
- Chicken Pieces: Use bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks for juicy dark meat and crispy skin. Chicken breasts can be used, but they will cook faster and may be a less juicy meat option.
- Whole Milk: Brine the chicken in whole milk to help tenderize the meat and enhance flavor. For a dairy-free option, substitute with almond milk or soy milk.
- Salt: Essential for the brine to help flavor the chicken pieces. You can use kosher salt or sea salt for best results.
- Garlic Powder: Adds savory flavor to the flour mixture. If you prefer, you can use fresh garlic or omit it for a milder taste.
- Black Pepper: Adds a bit of heat to the flour mixture. Freshly ground black pepper works best, but you can use pre-ground black pepper as well.
Coating and Frying:
- Flour Mixture: Combine all-purpose flour with cornstarch for the coating. The flour coating helps achieve that golden brown and crispy fried chicken.
- Cornstarch: Adds extra crunch to the flour mixture. If you don’t have cornstarch, you can use more flour or try potato starch.
- Baking Powder: Included in the flour mixture to help make the coating crispier. If you don’t have baking powder, you can leave it out, though the coating may be less crispy.
- Cayenne Pepper: Adds a spicy kick to the flour mixture. Adjust the amount to taste or omit if you prefer a milder flavor.
- Onion Powder: Enhances the seasoning mix with a savory flavor. If you don’t have onion powder, garlic powder can be used as a substitute.
Frying:
- Neutral Oil (Vegetable Oil or Peanut Oil): For deep frying, use oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil or peanut oil. Olive oil can also be used, but it has a lower smoke point.
See recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Brine the chicken in a mixture of whole milk (or water), salt, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves for 2-3 hours or overnight.
Create the dry and wet mix by mixing ingredients in medium bowls.
Remove the chicken from the brine and coat it with the wet batter, then dredge it in the seasoning mix until fully coated.
Heat neutral oil in a large pan to 350°F (175°C), then fry the chicken for 8-12 minutes until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Once cooked, transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil before serving.
Enjoy your delicious homemade fried chicken!
👩🏼🍳 Chef's Tip
- For extra crispy fried chicken, ensure the oil is at the correct temperature before frying. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the oil temperature, aiming for 350°F (175°C). Maintaining this temperature throughout frying will result in a perfectly crispy exterior while keeping the chicken juicy on the inside.
- Check out my list of best side dishes for fried chicken!
📖 Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-Free Option: For a gluten-free version of this recipe, you can substitute the regular all-purpose flour in the seasoning mix with a gluten-free flour blend. Additionally, when making the wet batter, ensure the baking powder used is gluten-free certified. This allows those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, as well as their friends or family, to enjoy this delicious fried chicken without any worries.
- Dairy-Free Option: To make this recipe dairy-free, replace the whole milk in the brine with a dairy-free alternative such as almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. For the wet batter, use water or a dairy-free milk substitute instead of regular milk. These simple swaps accommodate individuals who are lactose intolerant or following a dairy-free diet, ensuring everyone can indulge in crispy fried chicken goodness.
- Spicy Kick: Add an extra punch of heat by increasing the amount of cayenne pepper in the seasoning mix. You can also mix some hot sauce into the wet batter for an added spicy kick. Serve with a side of cooling ranch or blue cheese dressing to balance out the heat.
🍴 Equipment
- Deep Fryer or Dutch Oven: For frying, use a deep fryer, Dutch oven, or a heavy-bottomed cast iron skillet. Ensure there is enough oil to submerge the chicken pieces.
- Meat Thermometer: Essential for checking the internal temperature of the chicken pieces. Aim for an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
- Wire Rack: After frying, place the chicken on a wire rack to drain excess oil and keep the coating crispy.
- Paper Towels: Use paper towels on a plate or baking sheet to absorb any excess oil from the fried chicken.
- Baking Sheet: Line with paper towels for draining excess oil or for holding the chicken pieces while you heat up the oil.
- Large Bowl: Use for mixing the flour mixture and the wet batter.
- Shallow Bowl: For dipping the chicken pieces into the wet batter before dredging in the flour mixture.
- Airtight Container: Store leftover fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.
- Aluminum Foil: Use for covering the fried chicken if you need to keep it warm in the oven.
💭 Recipe FAQs
While you can use chicken breast, keep in mind that it may cook faster than drumsticks or thighs. Adjust the cooking time accordingly and monitor the internal temperature to ensure it reaches 165°F (74°C) for safe consumption.
While fried chicken is best enjoyed fresh, you can make it ahead of time and reheat it later. To maintain its crispiness, place the cooked chicken on a wire rack in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
Yes, you can bake the chicken instead of frying it for a healthier alternative. Place the coated chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) and the coating is crispy.
🥣 Storage & Reheating
- Storage: Refrigerate the fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Heat the chicken in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Freezing: Simply wrap each piece of fried chicken individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
🍷 Wine Pairing
The effervescence (bubbles) helps cut through the fried chicken's savory flavors, making for a delightful pairing for this easy fried chicken recipe.
👩🏼🍳 Top Tips
- Ensure Proper Oil Temperature: It's crucial to maintain the oil temperature around 350°F (175°C) throughout the frying process. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature and adjust the heat as needed to prevent the chicken from becoming greasy or undercooked.
- Brine for Flavor and Moisture: Brining the chicken in a mixture of milk (or water), salt, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves adds flavor and helps keep the meat moist during frying. Allow the chicken to brine for at least 2-3 hours, or ideally overnight, for the best results.
🌿 Related Recipes
🥗 Pairing Recommendations
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
📋 Recipe
Easy Fried Chicken Recipe
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Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Knife
- Baking sheet
- Deep-fry thermometer
- Large cast iron pan, Dutch oven, or heavy-bottomed pan/wok
- Tongs
- Wire rack or paper towels
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 lb drumsticks or thighs
- 4 cups whole milk can sub with water
- ¼ cup salt
- 8 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
Seasoning Mix
- 2 cups flour
- 2 cups cornstarch
- 2 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½ tablespoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ½ tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
Wet Batter
- 1 cup seasoning mix
- 1 cup water cold
- Neutral oil for frying
Instructions
Instructions
- Place the chicken legs in a bowl with the brine (whole milk (or water), salt, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves.) Brine for 2-3 hours or overnight for best results.
- In a large mixing bowl, make the seasoning mix by combing the flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, white pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper and baking powder and whisk until combined.
- Take 1 cup of the seasoning mix and combine in a separate bowl with cold water and mix until smooth.
- Remove the chicken from the brine and spoon a few tablespoons of brine into the seasoning mix and rub together with your hands to create small clumps. These craggily bits will add extra texture to the chicken.
- Dip each piece of chicken in the wet batter and let any excess drip off. Immediately dredge in seasoning mix and press the mix into the chicken until completely coated. Let rest on a baking sheet while you heat up your oil.
- In a large cast iron pan, dutch oven, or heavy bottomed pan/wok, fry chicken at 350F for 8-12 minutes (depending on size of the chicken) until the internal temperature reads 165F.
Video
Notes
- Storage: Refrigerate the fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
- Reheating: Heat the chicken in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 10-15 minutes or until warmed through.
- Freezing: Simply wrap each piece of fried chicken individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label with the date and freeze for up to 2-3 months.
🌡️ Food safety
- Chicken - Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Meghan
This recipe is great if you don't have buttermilk and need an easy cooking process! Creates perfect fried chicken!