Chicken Fried Chicken
Attention, chicken dinner enthusiasts! This chicken fried chicken recipe is sure to become your new favorite comfort food. Soaking the chicken in buttermilk and pickle juice adds incredible flavor and tenderness, while the simple dredging method keeps things tidy with minimal mess. And let’s not forget the gravy—spoon some extra over a big pile of mashed potatoes for the ultimate treat. This crispy chicken pairs perfectly with your favorite vegetable sides or works wonderfully as a sandwich for lunch! Pure comfort on a plate!
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 cup whole buttermilk
- 1/4 cup pickle juice (from the jar)
- 1 large egg
- 2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 Tbsp. seasoned salt
- 2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
- Vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
For the Gravy:
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups warm whole milk, divided
- 3/4 tsp. salt, plus more taste
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Instructions
- For the chicken: Whisk together the buttermilk, pickle juice, and egg in a medium bowl until smooth. Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture; cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours.)
- Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 10 minutes before frying. In a medium shallow bowl, stir together the flour, seasoned salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and 3 tablespoons of the chicken marinade until well combined (the mixture will be pebble-y). Working with one piece of chicken at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, patting to coat. Shake off the excess flour, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
- Add oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches in a large cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350°.
- Preheat the oven to 200°.
- When the oil is hot enough, fry the chicken, in batches, until golden brown on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. (The internal temperature of the chicken should read 165° on an instant read thermometer when finished.) Transfer the cooked chicken to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Keep warm in the oven.
- For the gravy: Discard the remaining oil in the skillet; wipe the skillet clean. Add the butter to the skillet; heat over medium heat until the butter melts. Sprinkle the flour over the butter; cook, whisking constantly, until the flour smells toasty and turns light golden brown, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add 3 cups of the milk, whisking to break up any clumps. Add salt and pepper, and bring to gentle simmer. Cook, whisking frequently, until the gravy is smooth and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add more milk, if needed; season with additional salt and black pepper.
- Divide the chicken among plates; spoon over the warm gravy. Sprinkle with more black pepper.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!