Homestyle Fried Chicken

1 hour | Yield: 4 Pieces Fried Chicken Thighs

Make the juiciest, most flavorful, homestyle fried chicken in your own kitchen! Crunchy on the outside, moist in the center, it’s the perfect recipe for your next family get-together. Frying your own chicken at home is not as intimidating as it may seem, we promise!

Ingredients

  • 1 clamshell Fresh Italian Parsley, finely chopped
  • 4 Bone-in, Skin-on Chicken Thighs (about 2 pounds)
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
  • ½ tsp. Onion Powder
  • 1 tsp. Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp. Smoked Paprika
  • 5 – 10 Dashes of Your Favorite Hot Sauce
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 3 – 4 cups Vegetable Oil
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • ¼ cup Cornstarch, optional

Directions

  1. Mix chopped parsley, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic, and smoked paprika together in a large bowl. Toss chicken with seasonings until well coated.
  2. Add desired amount of hot sauce and buttermilk to the chicken. Coat evenly, cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
  3. Prepare flour bowl (flour + optional cornstarch) and set aside. Remove chicken from buttermilk, allow excess liquid to drip off. Dredge chicken in the flour until evenly coated.
  4. Heat vegetable oil to 350°F. Fry chicken in the oil, in batches, and cook for approximately 8 minutes on each side. Do not overcrowd the pot and make sure to keep the oil’s temperature to 350°F while frying. *see recipe notes
  5. Once cooked, transfer chicken to a paper-towel lined plate for a minute or two. Next, move the chicken to a wire rack to cool for 5 – 10 minutes. This will ensure that the chicken does not get soggy and the chicken absorbs all its juices.
  • If you’d like to steps 1 & 2 in advance, you can allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for up to 6 hours.
  • Would you like to season the flour, too? Go ahead and use the exact same measurements for the seasonings and mix them into the flour before dredging the chicken. It’s an extra step, but it adds an extra layer of flavor.
  • Fresh Thyme is also great addition to this recipe. Simply add 1 tsp of chopped thyme to your seasoning bowl.
  • Adding cornstarch to the flour mixture will result in extra crispy fried chicken. It is not a mandatory ingredient. However, if you have some on hand, we recommend that you add it to your flour mixture prior to dredging the chicken.
  • This recipe is utilizing chicken thighs, but you can use whatever cut of meat you’d like. Drumsticks, wings, and breasts will vary in cooking times, please ensure that the internal temperature of the chicken is at least 165°F before consuming.