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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with shatteringly crispy golden coating and juicy meat, finished with thick white country gravy. Bone-in chicken is buttermilk-soaked, dredged twice for extra crunch, then fried to 165°F and served immediately with gravy pooling around the base.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
soaking 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American
Calories: 720
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

chicken
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces Use breasts or thighs.
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
seasoned flour coating
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying For 2-3 inches in the skillet.
white gravy
  • 2 tbsp pan drippings From the fried chicken skillet.
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste.
  • 0.25 tsp pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak and dredge
  1. Soak the bone-in chicken pieces in buttermilk and hot sauce for at least 30 minutes or overnight, keeping it chilled while it soaks.
  2. Whisk together all seasoned flour coating ingredients in a shallow dish: all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper.
  3. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge firmly in the seasoned flour until coated.
  4. Repeat the dip-and-dredge process for extra crunch so the coating bakes up thick during frying.
Fry the chicken
  1. Heat 2-3 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a large cast iron skillet.
  2. Fry the chicken for 10-12 minutes per side until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
  3. Drain the fried chicken on paper towels to set the crust before serving.
Make the white gravy
  1. Whisk pan drippings and flour in a skillet over medium heat for 1 minute to cook off the raw flour taste.
  2. Gradually whisk in whole milk and cook until thickened, using a steady whisk to keep the gravy smooth.
  3. Season the gravy with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken immediately with the white gravy poured over the top so it pools around the base.

Notes

Pro tip: for the crispiest thick crust, dredge firmly and don’t skip the second dip-and-dredge before frying. Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a 400°F oven until crisp again (best texture within 24 hours). Freeze cooked chicken for up to 2 months, though the coating may soften after thawing. For a dairy-light option, use buttermilk-style cultured plant milk and swap the whole milk in the gravy with an unsweetened plain alternative; texture may vary but the method stays the same.