Easy Country Fried Chicken Recipe – Crispy Southern Comfort Food Classic
Country Fried Chicken is a classic comfort food made with tender buttermilk-marinated chicken breasts, coated in a seasoned breading and fried until golden and crispy, perfect with mashed potatoes and gravy.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Fried
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- Chicken:
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- Buttermilk Marinade:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 3 teaspoons salt
- Breading:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 2½ teaspoons seasoned salt
- ¾ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to about ½ inch thickness.
- Mix buttermilk, eggs, and salt. Marinate chicken 1–2 hours or overnight.
- Let chicken rest at room temperature 25–30 minutes.
- Coat chicken thoroughly in breading mixture.
- Rest breaded chicken on rack 15–20 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F in a cast iron skillet.
- Fry chicken 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain on wire rack and serve with gravy and sides.
Notes
- Longer marinating makes chicken more tender.
- Resting breaded chicken helps coating stick better.
- Buttermilk can be substituted with milk + vinegar, yogurt, or sour cream mixtures.
- Serve with mashed potatoes, biscuits, or vegetables.
- Drain on rack to keep coating crisp.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 348
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 555 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 27 g
- Cholesterol: 82 mg