My Big Mama’s Southern fried chicken recipe is extra, EXTRA crispy and finger-lickin’ good, boos! This recipe is a true Southern-born and bred with a history of over 100 years. Instead of buttermilk, I use a simple coating with eggs, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to get the flavor started. Then I double down with a seasoned flour and cornstarch combo that fries up golden and crispy in my cast iron skillet. I do have a buttermilk fried chicken recipe too, but this one’s quicker and just as yum.
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How to make this Fried Chicken Recipe
Bread the Chicken and Let It Rest
Step 1: Add eggs, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to a medium-sized bowl.
Step 2: Whisk together.
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Step 3: Add the flour, cornstarch, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to a paper bag and shake to mix everything together.
Step 4: Dip each piece of chicken into the egg coating, turning to coat both sides.
Step 5: Dip the coated chicken into the seasoned flour, thoroughly covering each piece.
Step 6: Add each piece of bread chicken to a baking sheet after it’s breaded. Finish coating all the chicken and let it sit until the coating has set.
Fry the Chicken
Step 7: Fry the chicken in batches, starting with dark meat. Don’t overcrowd the pan. Once both sides are lightly golden, cover with a lid to help cook the inside. Then uncover and continue frying until the crust is crispy and deep golden brown.
Step 8: Remove the chicken from the oil and place it on paper towels or a wire rack to drain all the excess oil. Place the chicken on a baking sheet covered with parchment and add it to the oven to keep warm while finishing the other chicken pieces.
PRO TIP: The test for knowing when the oil is ready came from Big Mama! She always tossed a tiny bit of flour in the oil and if it began to fry and sizzle, then the oil is ready.
Fried Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
- 3 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 8 pieces chicken
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs, hot sauce and worcestershire and set aside.
- Next add flour, cornstarch, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to a paper bag and shake to mix well.
- Dip each piece of chicken into egg wash coating both sides then dip into seasoned flour thoroughly coating each piece. Then add piece to baking sheet to rest.
- Finish coating all chicken and let sit for 10-15 minutes until coating has set.
- While coating sets, add 1-1/2 inches of oil to a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet and heat over medium high heat. Also turn on oven to 275 degrees.
- This is my test for knowing when the oil is ready: Big Mama always tossed a tiny bit of flour in the oil and if it began to fry and sizzle, the oil was ready.
- Fry four pieces at a time on each side starting with dark meat since it takes longer. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- After each side has turned slightly golden, put the top on the skillet to steam the inside of the chicken ensuring doneness. After a couple of minutes, remove the top and continue to fry until the crust is crispy again and completely golden brown.
- Remove chicken from oil and place on paper towels or rack to drain. Place chicken on a baking sheet covered with parchment and add to warmed oven while finishing the other chicken pieces.
- Fry the remaining chicken pieces and drain and add to oven. Add the remaining chicken to the oven.
- Serve when ready.
Notes
- Fridge: Let the chicken cool completely, then store it in an airtight container lined with paper towels. It’ll keep for 3-4 days.
- Freezer: Cool the chicken first, then freeze in a paper towel-lined container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Let the chicken sit at room temp for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 400°F, place chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet, and cover loosely with another sheet of foil. Bake for 20 minutes, then rest 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Fry in a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven. Using shallow pans means oil EVERYWHERE.
- Set up a fry station before you even heat the oil. Chicken on the left, hot oil in the middle, cooling rack with paper towels on the right.
- Use metal tongs or a spider strainer to move that chicken. Keep your hands out the splash zone. No one wants grease burns!
- Grab a thermometer. This ain’t the time to guess, boos. Chicken needs to hit 165°F inside to be done, no matter how golden it looks outside.
- Keep that oil steady at 350°F. Too hot and you’ll burn the outside, too cool and your crust will be soggy. That steady heat is the secret to nailing this easy fried chicken recipe.
- Let the chicken rest at least 10 minutes before serving. It helps set the crust and keeps the juices where they belong.
Serving Ideas
- Potatoes: Garlic mashed potatoes, cheesy scalloped potatoes, or smothered potatoes all bring that hearty Southern comfort.
- Greens & Beans: Mustard greens, collard greens, turnip greens, green beans, pinto beans, and baked beans are a must for any proper Southern plate.
- Corn Sides: Creamed corn, hot water cornbread, or a scoop of corn pudding.
- Breads: 7 Up biscuits, buttermilk biscuits, yeast rolls, or fluffy potato dinner rolls are perfect for Big Mamas fried chicken.
- Drinks: Sweet tea is my go-to, but I also enjoy it with a glass of lemonade or a peach iced tea.
Recipe Help
Let the coated chicken rest 10-15 minutes before frying. This is a MUST for any fried chicken without buttermilk, boos. It helps the egg wash and flour stick.
The oil wasn’t hot enough or the pan was too crowded. Fry in smaller batches and let the chicken drain on a rack or paper towels right after cooking.
Yup! Let it cool completely, then pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container. It’ll last a couple more rounds.
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I have tried a good bit of your recipes and once again this one is so good. I live in Pearl, Mississippi.
My first recipe I tried was the cheesy bread, I also use that same recipe for pizza. It’s so much better than any restaurant. Back to this one I started using the same ingredients for potato logs before I did the chicken. So fantastic. I can’t thank you enough for sharing your recipes with us.
I didn’t see it anywhere. What type of oil did you use? I typically use Grapeseed oil.
I usually use vegetable or canola. Any neutral oil will work.