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Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken with a shatteringly crisp, spiced flour coating and juicy chicken inside, finished with classic white country gravy. Buttermilk-soaked Southern fried chicken is fried until deeply golden and served with thick gravy pooling around every bite.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Soaking 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Calories: 900
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and buttermilk soak
  • 4 bone-in chicken pieces
  • 2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tsp hot sauce
Seasoned flour coating
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper
Frying oil
  • 1 vegetable oil for frying (amount as needed to reach 2–3 inches deep)
White country gravy
  • 2 tbsp pan drippings
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1.5 cup whole milk
  • 0.25 salt to taste
  • 0.25 pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Soak the chicken
  1. Add bone-in chicken pieces to a bowl and pour in buttermilk and hot sauce, making sure every piece is coated. Let soak for at least 30 minutes or overnight for better flavor and crisping.
Make the seasoned flour coating
  1. In a shallow dish, whisk together all-purpose flour, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and cracked black pepper until evenly mixed. The coating should look speckled and uniformly colored.
Dredge for extra crunch
  1. Remove each chicken piece from the buttermilk and hot sauce, letting excess drip off. Press the chicken firmly into the seasoned flour coating to form an even crust.
  2. Repeat the dip-and-dredge process for extra crunch by dipping again briefly and pressing into the flour a second time. Keep the coating thick and well-adhered.
Fry until deeply golden
  1. Heat 2–3 inches of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet to 350°F. Maintain the 350°F oil temperature for consistent browning.
  2. Fry the chicken for 10-12 minutes per side, turning once, until deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Drain on paper towels so the coating stays crisp.
Cook the white country gravy
  1. In the skillet over medium heat, whisk pan drippings and flour for 1 minute. This cooks off raw flour flavor and forms a smooth base.
  2. Gradually whisk in whole milk and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste, stirring until silky.
Serve
  1. Serve the chicken immediately with white country gravy poured over the top. Allow the gravy to pool at the base right before eating.

Notes

For the crispiest fried chicken, keep oil at a steady 350°F and press the seasoned flour onto the chicken firmly before frying. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container up to 3 days; reheat in an oven or air fryer to help restore crunch (not freezer-friendly for best texture). For a lower-fat option, use low-fat buttermilk while keeping the same coating and frying temperatures.