Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

Something special happens when you marinate chicken in sweet tea then bread and fry until golden brown and crispiest. Seriously ain’t nothing like my sweet tea fried chicken. The sweet and savory vibes keep you guessing making things a little different from anything else you have ever tried before. Get into it!

How to Make Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

For the Tea:

• Heat water in a medium sized pot until boiling.
• Turn off heat and add tea bags. Let tea steep for 20-30 minutes then remove bags.
• Stir in sugar and lemon juice until completely dissolved then let tea come to room temperatue.
• Add tea to large bowl then submerge chicken pieces in tea. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours depending on level of sweetness you want your chicken to have.

For the Chicken:

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and set aside.
• Add flour, seasoned salt, cornstarch, 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.

Serving suggestions

• A scoop of creamy, dreamy Southern Macaroni and Cheese offers a cheese-tastic cuddle to your taste buds.
• Southern Collard Greens bring home that smoky, hearty goodness.
• Don’t forget a hunk of Southern Cornbread, perfect for soppin’ up.
• Toss up some Black Eyed Peas for a savory side.
• Top that chicken with Chicken Gravy for a nice rich vibe.

Favorite Fried Recipes

Find more Fried Chicken recipes like this recipe, click HERE

Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

This Sweet tea fried chicken recipe is crunchy, incredibly flavorful and irresistible! Southern sweet tea becomes the perfect brine for a twist on classic fried chicken! 

4.55 from 11 votes

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Prep Time 2 days d

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 2 days d 25 minutes mins

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Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Course: Main Course

Servings: 10 chicken pieces

Ingredients

For the Tea:

• ▢ 5 cups water
• ▢ 5-6 teabags
• ▢ 3/4 cup white sugar
• ▢ 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

For the Chicken:

• ▢ 8-10 chicken pieces
• ▢ 3 large eggs
• ▢ 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• ▢ 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• ▢ 2 teaspoons paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ▢ 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon onion powder

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Instructions

For the Tea:

• Heat water in a medium sized pot until boiling.
• Turn off heat and add tea bags. Let tea steep for 20-30 minutes then remove bags.
• Stir in sugar and lemon juice until completely dissolved then let tea come to room temperatue.
• Add tea to large bowl then submerge chicken pieces in tea. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours depending on level of sweetness you want your chicken to have.

For the Chicken:

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and set aside.
• Add flour, seasoned salt, cornstarch, 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 the seasoned floor coating both sides then into the egg wash coating both sides then dip into seasoned flour again thoroughly coating each piece. Then add piece to baking sheet to rest.
• Finish coating all chicken and let sit for 15-20 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

How to Store and Reheat

To store your sweet tea fried chicken, let it cool completely then place it in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap, and refrigerate. To reheat, bake the chicken in a 375°F oven until it’s hot and crispy again, which should take about 15-20 minutes to get back that fresh-from-the-skillet magic.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 125mg | Sodium: 2187mg | Potassium: 258mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 4.8mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 2.7mg

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