Name: Southern Fried Chicken
Prep time: 70 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 2 chicken legs (with skin on); 1 chicken breast (with skin on); 1 quart buttermilk; 1 cup all-purpose flour; ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; ⅛ teaspoon salt (use sea salt for corn-free); ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder; ¼ teaspoon Penseys Cajun seasoning (or a little cayenne pepper); Enough canola oil to fill the skillet 1-inch deep (maybe a cup of oil)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Don's Pretty Close to Southern Fried Chicken is almost as good as his Momma's Southern Fried Chicken. You are gonna love it.

Southern Fried Chicken. It's SO good.

Don's Pretty Close to Southern Fried Chicken

Don here, telling you about my Pretty Close to Southern Fried Chicken recipe.
Maybe it's legend or maybe it's fact that throughout the South in days gone by folks came home from church on Sunday to sit down to a dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, sliced tomatoes, biscuits and peach cobbler for dessert. Families and extended families gathered like the Reagans on Blue Bloods for fellowship and food. Sadly, those times are past in our family, but good home cooked fried chicken is still a treat for Sunday dinner or any other day when there is time to make it.
We are doing a weekly cooking school with our local teenage grandkids. This week: Southern Fried Chicken and Waffles! Can't wait!
My Momma Betty could make some terrific Fried Chicken, and I grew up on it. If I don't make it myself, I like to go to The Southern Inn in Lexington, Virginia, for some amazing Fried Chicken.
Did you know that July 6 is National Southern Fried Chicken Day? It also happens to be Lois' and my wedding anniversary. What a good day for this meal! I'm planning way ahead.

What to Serve With Chicken

This recipe makes three large pieces or six small ones. Enough for six people. Serve with Mashed Potatoes, "Cooked All Day" Green Beans, and Coleslaw. Trust me, you're gonna wanna eat this chicken.

What You Need

Make your cooking easy with a FryDaddy (affiliate link). But you can use a simple, deep frying pan. Whatever you buy, always buy the best you can afford and it will last a lifetime.

Southern Fried Chicken Recipe

Southern Fried Chicken

Recipe Idea Shop/Don Crawford

This chicken has crispy skin with deliciously juicy meat.

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hr 10 mins

Cook Time 35 mins

Total Time 1 hr 45 mins

Course Chicken, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings

Ingredients

2 chicken legs with skin on
1 chicken breast with skin on
1 quart buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
⅛ teaspoon salt use sea salt for corn-free
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon Penseys Cajun seasoning or a little cayenne pepper
Enough canola oil to fill the skillet 1-inch deep maybe a cup of oil

Instructions

Rinse the chicken pieces in cold water and pat dry. (Jacques Pepin says you can skip this step, but I do it.)
Place the chicken in a bowl large enough to hold the pieces, and cover them with buttermilk.
Cover the bowl and allow the chicken to soak in the buttermilk in the refrigerator for at least one hour or overnight.
In a brown paper bag large enough to hold one piece of chicken at a time, add the flour and spices. Shake to blend them.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet until a drop of water dances on the surface. (Be careful not to put in more than a drop of water or it might splash and burn you.)
Take one piece of chicken at a time from the bowl of buttermilk and place it in the paper bag.
Shake the chicken in the bag to coat it with the flour mixture; then add it to the skillet.
When all the chicken pieces have been frying for about 10 minutes, turn them over to brown the other side.
Cover the skillet and reduce the heat to allow the chicken to fry for 10 to 12 minutes.
Uncover the skillet and let the chicken fry for another 10 to 12 minutes.
Turn the chicken once again to brown the other side.
The chicken is done when a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 185°F.
If the chicken is getting too brown but is not yet done, which can happen with large pieces, place the pieces on a rack in a baking pan in the oven to continue cooking.
Serve with your favorite side dishes.

Keyword Soutnern Fried Chicken

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Affiliate Disclosure: This website may contain affiliate marketing links, which means we may get paid commission on sales of those products or services we write about, including Amazon. Editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Recipe Nutrition Information

This recipe is NF, SF, EF, CF (use sea salt)*

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice.

Don's Pretty Close Southern Fried Chicken. Each serving is about 3-4 ounces (1 thigh, 1 drumstick, or half a chicken breast).

Nourish Your Body & Soul

I encourage you to care of yourself by eating satisfying, nourishing food that is good for your body and makes you feel healthy. Protect your spirit by living authentically, moving your body, and taking time to replenish and rest. I think you might also like these recipes & posts from Recipe Idea Shop:

RATE, PIN & SHARE!

Please Rate our recipes and posts, and Pin and Share them on social media. Comments are welcome, too!

Southern Fried Chicken just like Momma made.

*Allergen Key

Note: If you have serious allergies or sensitivities, to be considered free of these allergens, you need to use products specifically marked "gluten free," etc. There can be cross-contamination in facilities.

This post was first published on Recipe Idea Shop June 14, 2017 and updated October 18, 2021.