Southern Fried Chicken – Chicken gets brined in flavorful buttermilk before hitting the fryer for a crisp, golden crust.
The American English expression “fried chicken” was first recorded in the 1830s, and frequently appears in American cookbooks of the 1860s and 1870s. The origin of fried chicken in the southern states of America has been traced to precedents in Scottish and West African cuisine. Scottish fried chicken was cooked in fat, and West African fried chicken added different seasonings, and was battered and cooked in palm oil. Scottish frying techniques and African seasoning techniques were used in the American South by enslaved Africans.
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Southern Fried Chicken
Chicken gets brined in flavorful buttermilk before hitting the fryer for a crisp, golden crust.
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Servings: 4
Calories: 312kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper option if you like hot
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- kosher salt
- 1 whole chicken cut into pieces bone in skin on
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- vegetable oil or peanut oil for cooking
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and the remaining spice mixture in a large bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the marinade from the zipper-lock bag and work it into the flour with your fingertips. Remove one piece of chicken from the bag, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off, drop the chicken into the flour mixture, and toss to coat. Continue adding chicken pieces to the flour mixture one at a time until they are all in the bowl. Toss the chicken until every piece is thoroughly coated, pressing with your hands to get the flour to adhere in a thick layer.
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the shortening or oil to 425°F in a 12-inch straight-sided cast-iron chicken fryer or a large wok over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat as necessary to maintain the temperature, being careful not to let the fat get any hotter.
- One piece at a time, transfer the coated chicken to a fine-mesh strainer and shake to remove excess flour. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Once all the chicken pieces are coated, place skin side down in the pan. The temperature should drop to 300°F; adjust the heat to maintain the temperature at 300°F for the duration of the cooking. Fry the chicken until it’s a deep golden brown on the first side, about 6 minutes; do not move the chicken or start checking for doneness until it has fried for at least 3 minutes, or you may knock off the coating. Care- fully flip the chicken pieces with tongs and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 4 minutes longer.
- Transfer the chicken to a clean wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and place in the oven. Cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 150°F and the legs register 165°F, 5 to 10 minutes; remove the chicken pieces to a second rack or a paper-towel-lined plate as they reach their final temperature. Season with salt and serve—or, for extra-crunchy fried chicken, go to step 7.
- Place the plate of cooked chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight. When ready to serve, reheat the oil to 400°F. Add the chicken pieces and cook, flipping them once halfway through cooking, until completely crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack set on a rimmed baking sheet to drain, then serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 209mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1951IU | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 4mg
