Chicken-Fried Chicken Recipe

Southern Living Chicken Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans — Photo:
Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Active Time:

30 mins

Total Time:

1 hr

Servings:

8 to 10

Chicken-fried chicken may not get as much love and attention as its close cousin, chicken-fried steak, but we're here to tell you it's essential Southern eating. And indeed, Southern it is.

Chicken-fried chicken likely originated in Texas. It's easy to see the direct lines between schnitzel brought to the area by Germans and Austrians. It's not a far leap from breaded veal to these breaded and fried pieces of chicken (or the more familiar steak).

This classic Southern dish is made by lightly breading boneless pieces of chicken in a flour-and-cracker mixture, then frying it in a shallow pool of oil. Like chicken-fried steak, the effect is a crispy meat that is sure to be enjoyed by the whole family, and it's often served smothered under white gravy atop a pile of mashed potatoes.

Make this as a weeknight dinner, since it cooks up faster than a classic fried chicken. Save leftovers to serve as chicken strips over a salad with creamy blue cheese or ranch dressing.

What's the Difference Between Chicken Fried Chicken and Fried Chicken?

Classic fried chicken is typically bone-in pieces of meat that are brined, then battered, and deep fried.

Chicken fried as a cooking technique refers to breading a thin piece of boneless meat—whether it's chicken or steak—and then shallow-frying that meat until cooked.

Typically, chicken frying is considered to be more of a casual cooking technique, great for weeknight, cooking since the thin slices of chicken cook faster. Classic fried chicken, which is more complicated and takes a little longer, is usually more of a special occasion meal for weekend suppers.

Ingredients for Chicken-Fried Chicken

Gather these ingredients for this dinner. A full list with measurements is at the bottom of the page.

Chicken breasts: You can buy cutlets instead, or follow our directions and flatten breasts for faster frying.
Salt and pepper: To season the breading mixture.
Saltine crackers: These will be crushed and mixed with flour for the breading.
All-purpose flour: Classic chicken breading.
Baking powder: This will help the breading puff up during frying for extra crispy texture.
Red pepper: Season the breading with your favorite spices, but we like a little heat from pepper.
Milk: You'll use this to make the wet dip for the chicken.
Egg: You'll use 4 in this recipe.
Peanut oil: For frying. We like the neutral flavor and the high smoke point of this oil.

How To Make Chicken Fried Chicken

Making chicken fried chicken is very simple. It's much faster than fried chicken anyway. Here's a brief outline for this recipe, with the full recipe further below.

Step 1. Pound chicken: Place each piece of chicken between two pieces of plastic wrap and flat to 1/4-inch thick with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Then season with salt and pepper.
Step 2. Make breading: Combine the cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, and both peppers in a shallow bowl.
Step 3. Make egg mixture: In another shallow bowl, combine some of the milk and the eggs. Whisk to combine.
Step 4. Dredge the chicken: Dip each chicken piece first in the cracker crumb mixture, then the milk mixture, then again back into the cracker crumb mixture. Repeat for each piece of chicken.
Step 5. Fry: Slowly lower each piece of breaded chicken into a skillet with heated oil, and fry in batches until the chicken crust is golden brown. This should take about 15 minutes total, and you should flip the chicken after about 10 minutes. Remove the fried chicken to a cooling rack that's sitting in a baking sheet. Hold in a warm oven until all the chicken is fried.
Step 6. Make gravy: Take some of the drippings from the frying oil. Whisk together the remaining flour, salt, pepper, and milk. Add the reserved drippings to a skillet, and add the flour-milk mixture. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy over chicken.

Southern Living chicken-fried chicken — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Serving Suggestions

Chicken-Fried Chicken is a great weeknight meal to serve with any sides. Try buttermilk biscuits, mashed potatoes, or green beans for a hearty dinner, but don't be afraid to experiment, since chicken-fried chicken goes with almost anything.

Ingredients

8 (6-oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 1/2 tsp. salt, divided
2 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 sleeves saltine crackers (76 crackers), crushed
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground red pepper
8 cups milk, divided
4 large eggs
Peanut oil

Directions

Prepare oven:

Preheat the oven to 225°F.
Pound chicken:

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and flatten to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper evenly over chicken. Set aside.
Make breading mixtures:

Combine cracker crumbs, 2 cups flour, baking powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ground red pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups milk and eggs.
Coat chicken:

Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge in cracker mixture again.
Fry chicken:

Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in a 12-inch skillet (do not use a nonstick skillet). Heat to 360°F. Fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4 to 5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack in a jellyroll pan. Keep chicken warm in a 225°F oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet.
Make gravy:

Whisk together remaining 1/2 cup flour, remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 6 1/2 cups milk. Pour mixture into reserved drippings in skillet; cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly, 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with chicken.