NoAdsCooking
Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken

Updated February 1, 2026

Classic Southern fried chicken with crispy golden crust and juicy meat. Bone in pieces seasoned and flour dredged, then fried in cast iron for authentic texture and flavor.

Sprinkle a small pinch of salt on chicken immediately after removing from oil while still hot for enhanced seasoning. Oil can be strained and reused once. Discard if it smells rancid or has dark particles.

Store leftover fried chicken in refrigerator up to 3 days. Reheat uncovered in 375°F oven for 15 minutes to restore crust crispness.

Cook time
50 min
Rating
…

Ingredients

Scale
Measurement units
  • 3 lb Chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, wings)
  • 1 ½ tbsp Salt
  • 1 ½ tsp Black pepper
  • 2 cup All purpose flour
  • 1 tsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic powder
  • ½ tsp Onion powder
  • 2 cup Neutral oil for frying

Instructions

Season the chicken
Pat chicken pieces (3 lb) completely dry with paper towels.
Season all sides with salt (1 tsp) and black pepper (½ tsp).
Mix the seasoned flour
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour (2 cup), salt (1 tbsp), black pepper (1 tsp), paprika (1 tsp), garlic powder (1 tsp), and onion powder (½ tsp) until evenly combined.
Equipment: Large mixing bowl
Dredge the chicken
Press each chicken pieces (3 lb) piece into the seasoned flour mixture, coating all sides evenly.
Shake off excess flour.
Transfer dredged chicken to wire cooling rack and let rest 10 minutes. The flour will hydrate and bond to the meat surface.
Equipment: Wire cooling rack
Heat the oil
Pour oil (2 cup) into cast iron skillet to depth of 1 inch.
Heat over medium high heat to 325°F to 350°F, checking with instant read thermometer.
Equipment: Cast iron skillet or heavy pot, Instant read thermometer
Fry the chicken
Using long tongs, gently lower chicken pieces into hot oil skin side down if applicable. Do not crowd the pan.
Fry 12 to 15 minutes per side, turning as needed, until golden brown and crust is set.
Adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 325°F and 350°F.
Chicken is done when internal temperature reaches 165°F at the thickest part near the bone.
Equipment: Cast iron skillet or heavy pot, Long tongs, Instant read thermometer
Drain and rest
Using long tongs, transfer fried chicken to wire cooling rack set over rimmed baking sheet.
Let rest 5 minutes so juices redistribute and crust stays crisp.
Equipment: Wire cooling rack, Rimmed baking sheet, Long tongs
Serve
Serve hot immediately for best texture and flavor.

Tomorrow's Meal

Fried Chicken Sandwiches

Cold fried chicken on soft bread with pickles and mayo. The crust stays crisp overnight in the fridge.

You'll need to pick up:

Soft sandwich bunsDill picklesMayonnaiseLettuce (optional)

Quick overview:

  1. 1.Split sandwich buns and spread mayonnaise on both cut sides.
  2. 2.Place one piece of cold fried chicken on bottom bun.
  3. 3.Top with 2 to 3 pickle slices.
  4. 4.Add lettuce if using.
  5. 5.Place top bun and press gently to compress.
  6. 6.Serve immediately at room temperature or wrap and refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Ratings

Loading ratings…

Your rating

Have you cooked this?

Comments

Loading comments…

Ready to cook? Or want to explore more recipes?