My grandma’s tried and true Southern Fried Chicken is the best! Perfectly seasoned and fried crispy for the most delicious, juicy homemade fried chicken.
Food is love in my family, and my Grandma’s Southern Fried Chicken was one of those staples that my grandma made with love and care.
The secret to this recipe is seasoning every layer of ingredients well, and for the golden, crunchy coating, crushed saltine cracker crumbs are key!
WHAT TO SERVE WITH FRIED CHICKEN
Here are my favorite sides to serve with this amazing chicken:
HOW TO MAKE GRANDMA’S SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN
- Make the Dry Seasoning. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 3 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk together to combine and then divide the seasoning into 2 batches. Use 1 batch for the dry rub and the other batch for the coating.
- Dry Brine the Chicken. Rub the chicken pieces generously with spice mixture and place into a dish or bowl, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight if time permits. Don’t skip this step! This will give your chicken a wonderful flavor!
- Make the Coating. Mix the flour, cracker crumbs, and ½ of the spice mixture in a shallow casserole dish or large zip-top bag.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl or pie plate, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce.
- Prep the Oven. Preheat the oven to low heat (around 200 degrees) to keep the chicken warm as you fry it in batches.
- Prep Fry Oil. Place a large heavy-bottom Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pan. Pour the oil into the pan and wait until it reaches 360 degrees F.
- Dredge the Chicken. Dunk the chicken in the flour mixture, and then immediately into the egg mixture, and then back into the flour mixture, and lightly shake off the excess.
- Fry the Chicken. Fry the chicken in the hot oil for 14-15 minutes, flipping the pieces with tongs every couple of minutes.
- Keep Warm. When working in batches, move the fried chicken to a lined baking sheet and place in the warm oven, until all of the chicken is cooked.
TIPS FOR FRYING CHICKEN
- To prevent the coating from falling off, lightly press the final flour coating into the chicken, and then carefully place it into the hot oil.
- Make sure that you don’t overcrowd your pan. You want to make sure that the chicken isn’t pressed against other pieces of chicken (which can cool the oil too much and knock off the breading).
- Try to only flip your chicken once while frying. The more you move your chicken, the more likely you are to knock off some of the crunchy crust.
- It can be very helpful to dredge all of your chicken pieces before frying and allow the coating to dry a little bit first. To do this, place dredged chicken pieces on a wire rack after dipping and dredging. Continue with all of the pieces and then fry in batches.
- If you’re concerned that the outside of the chicken is cooking too quickly and over-browning, remove it from the pan and place it on a baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for about 15-20 minutes to finish cooking.
MORE DELICIOUS DISHES!
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Grandma’s Southern Fried Chicken
My grandma’s tried and true Southern Fried Chicken is the best! Perfectly seasoned and fried crispy for the most delicious, juicy homemade fried chicken.
Ingredients
- 8 pieces skin-on bone-in chicken (breast, thighs, legs)
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground white pepper
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup Franks Red Hot Sauce
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup cracker meal crushed saltine crackers or crushed potato chips
- 2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Make the Dry Seasoning. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons kosher salt, 3 tablespoons smoked paprika, 2 tablespoons ground white pepper, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper. Whisk together to combine and then divide the seasoning into 2 batches. Use 1 batch for the dry rub and the other batch for the coating.
- Dry Brine the Chicken. Rub the chicken pieces generously with 1 batch of the spice mixture and place it into a dish or bowl, cover, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or overnight if time permits. Don’t skip this step! This will give your chicken a wonderful flavor!
- Make the Coating. Mix the flour, cracker crumbs, and 1 batch of the spice mixture in a shallow casserole dish or large zip-top bag.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl or pie plate, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce.
- Prep the Oven. Preheat the oven to low heat (around 200 degrees) to keep the chicken warm as you fry it in batches.
- Prep Fry Oil. Place a large heavy-bottom Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pan. Pour the oil into the pan and wait until it reaches 360 degrees F.
- Dredge the Chicken. Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, and then immediately dip it into the egg mixture, and then back into the flour mixture, and lightly shake off the excess.
- Fry the Chicken. Fry the chicken in the hot oil for 14-15 minutes, flipping the pieces with tongs once, halfway through. Fry to a golden brown and remove to a paper towel-lined pan or plate.
- Keep Warm. When working in batches, move the fried chicken to a lined baking sheet and place it in the warm oven, until all of the chicken is cooked.
I am passionate about good food, cooking for family and friends, and creating recipes that form lasting memories from one generation to the next. I hope you find inspiration for cooking and creating here!
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