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Southern Fried Chicken Recipe 5 Easy Steps for Crispy Grandma’s Cast Iron Classic

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A classic Southern fried chicken recipe featuring a crispy golden crust and juicy, tender inside, perfected using a cast iron skillet and a buttermilk marinade.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 to 4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (preferably thighs and drumsticks)
  • 2 cups buttermilk (or 2 cups milk mixed with 2 tablespoons lemon juice as a substitute)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons salt (plus more for seasoning chicken)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • About 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

  1. Marinate the chicken: Pour buttermilk into a large bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper, add chicken pieces fully submerged, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. Prepare the flour dredge: In another large bowl, combine flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper; mix well.
  3. Dredge the chicken: Remove chicken from buttermilk one piece at a time, let excess drip off, dredge thoroughly in flour mixture pressing lightly, place coated pieces on a wire rack and rest for 10-15 minutes.
  4. Heat the oil: Pour vegetable oil into a cast iron skillet to about 1½ inches depth, heat over medium until oil reaches 350°F (175°C), using an instant-read thermometer to monitor.
  5. Fry the chicken: Place chicken skin-side down in hot oil without overcrowding, fry in batches for 12-15 minutes per batch turning once halfway through, cook until crust is deep golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain on wire rack over baking sheet and let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

Do not skip the buttermilk soak to tenderize and help the coating stick. Maintain oil temperature at 350°F (175°C) to avoid greasy or burnt crust. Let dredged chicken rest 10-15 minutes before frying to help crust adhere. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding. Use a wire rack to drain fried chicken to keep crust crispy. Reheat leftovers in a 350°F oven on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes to revive crispiness.

Nutrition

Keywords: Southern fried chicken, crispy fried chicken, cast iron skillet chicken, buttermilk fried chicken, classic fried chicken, easy fried chicken recipe

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