Crispy Southern Fried Chicken (Printer-Friendly)

Juicy spiced fried chicken served with warm honey butter biscuits for comforting flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ Fried Chicken

01 - 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, wings)
02 - 2 cups buttermilk
03 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce, optional
04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 cup cornstarch
06 - 2 teaspoons salt
07 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
08 - 1 teaspoon paprika
09 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
10 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
11 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ Honey Butter Biscuits

13 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
14 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
15 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
18 - 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
19 - 2 tablespoons honey

→ Honey Butter Topping

20 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
21 - 2 tablespoons honey

# How To Make It:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight for optimal flavor development.
02 - In a shallow dish, combine flour, cornstarch, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing gently to ensure coating adheres. Transfer coated pieces to a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes.
04 - Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 15-18 minutes for dark meat and 12-14 minutes for white meat. Transfer finished pieces to a clean wire rack positioned over a baking sheet.
05 - Preheat oven to 425°F. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk and honey just until dough comes together.
06 - Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle. Cut into rounds using a biscuit cutter. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 12-15 minutes until golden brown.
07 - Stir together melted butter and honey. Brush the mixture over hot biscuits immediately after removing from the oven.
08 - Arrange crispy fried chicken on serving platter and accompany with warm honey butter biscuits.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The chicken stays impossibly juicy inside while the crust shatters like glass, and that contrast is honestly addictive.
  • Honey butter biscuits are the kind of carb-forward companion that makes you forget all your worries for a moment.
  • The whole meal feels restaurant-worthy but comes together in your own kitchen without fuss or pretension.
02 -
  • That ten-minute rest after dredging seems pointless until you bite into the chicken and realize the coating has actually adhered instead of falling off in the oil.
  • Oil temperature is everything—too cool and you get soggy, greasy chicken; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks, so trust your thermometer.
  • Cold butter for biscuits is absolutely non-negotiable because warm butter makes tough biscuits, and nobody wants that.
03 -
  • Keep a close eye on oil temperature with a reliable thermometer—it's the single biggest difference between good fried chicken and great fried chicken.
  • Don't skip the resting step after dredging; it's when the coating actually commits to staying on the chicken instead of abandoning you in the hot oil.
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