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Why You Will Love This Southern Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe
If there’s one meal that screams Southern comfort food, it’s Chicken Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes, homemade country gravy, and green beans. I’m from Oklahoma, and this brings back so many memories of school lunches and Sunday dinners at home. There’s just something about a plate of crispy fried chicken, fluffy mashed potatoes covered in peppery white gravy, and a vegetable on the side that makes you feel right at home.
This Chicken Fried Chicken is made with tenderized chicken breast that’s marinated in seasoned milk, egg, hot sauce, and chicken bouillon before being coated in seasoned flour and fried until golden brown and crispy. The marinade gives the chicken plenty of flavor, while the crispy coating gives you that delicious crunch in every bite.
Whether you’re making Sunday dinner for your family or just craving a classic Southern meal, this Chicken Fried Chicken deserves a spot on your menu.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: A large chicken breast sliced into three pieces gives you generous portions of tender chicken.
- Egg: Helps the seasoned milk marinade cling to the chicken and contributes to a flavorful coating.
- Milk: Helps coat the chicken and creates the base for the marinade.
- Hot sauce: Adds a little kick and extra flavor without necessarily making the chicken overly spicy.
- Chicken bouillon: Adds a savory, seasoned flavor to the chicken.
- Onion powder and garlic powder: Build that classic savory flavor throughout the chicken.
- Black pepper: Adds a little peppery bite.
- Paprika: Adds flavor and color.
- All-purpose flour: Creates the crispy, golden coating.
How to Make Southern Chicken Fried Chicken
Start by slicing a large chicken breast into three pieces. Place the chicken on a cutting board and cover it with parchment paper. Use a meat tenderizer to pound each piece until it’s an even thickness. The parchment helps keep chicken juices from splashing everywhere. It also makes cleanup easier! Pounding the chicken helps it cook evenly and gives it that classic chicken fried chicken shape.
In a bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, hot sauce, chicken bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika. Add the chicken pieces and make sure they’re well coated.
Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I let mine marinate for about 2½ hours. This gives the chicken plenty of time to soak up all that flavor.
Add the flour, chicken bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika to a shallow dish. Mix well to spread the seasonings throughout the flour.
Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade. Let the extra liquid drip off, then coat the chicken in the seasoned flour. Press the flour onto the chicken so it sticks well. Repeat with the remaining pieces.
Once all the chicken is coated, place the pieces on a wire rack. Let them rest for 5 to 10 minutes before frying. This gives the flour time to stick to the chicken. It also helps keep the coating from falling off when you place the chicken in the hot oil.
Carefully place the chicken in the hot oil. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook until the coating is golden brown and crispy. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean wire rack to drain.
Serve your chicken fried chicken hot with creamy mashed potatoes, homemade country gravy, and green beans.
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Tips for the Best Southern Chicken Fried Chicken
- Pound the chicken evenly: Flattening the chicken helps it cook evenly and makes each piece tender.
- Don’t rush the marinade: At least 30 minutes gives the chicken time to absorb some flavor, but a couple of hours is great when you have the time.
- Season the flour well: The coating is an important part of the flavor, so make sure the seasonings are mixed evenly throughout the flour.
- Let the coating rest before frying: After dredging the chicken in the seasoned flour, place it on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. This gives the coating time to adhere to the chicken, helping you get a crispier crust that stays put during frying.
Other Recipes You Will Love
If you loved this, you have to try my Grilled Steak Pasta Salad!
Southern Chicken Fried Chicken Recipe
Description
This Southern chicken fried chicken is tender, juicy, and coated in a crispy, seasoned crust. Serve it with mashed potatoes and homemade country gravy!
Ingredients
Marinade
Dry Batter
Instructions
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Slice the chicken breast into three pieces. Pound each piece with a meat tenderizer until flattened to an even thickness.
-
Whisk together the egg, milk, hot sauce, chicken bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to about 2½ hours.
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In a separate shallow dish, combine the flour, chicken bouillon, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and paprika.
-
Remove each chicken piece from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Coat in the seasoned flour.
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Fry the chicken in batches until golden brown and crispy, turning as needed. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
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Transfer the chicken to a wire rack to drain. Serve hot with mashed potatoes, homemade country gravy, and green beans.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 3
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 550kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 24g37%
- Saturated Fat 5g25%
- Cholesterol 125mg42%
- Sodium 1250mg53%
- Total Carbohydrate 48g16%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 4g
- Protein 35g70%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
