Easy Fried Chicken

Article by Emily Saladino

Crispy, juicy, and full of flavor, this easy fried chicken recipe delivers on all fronts. The Food Network Kitchen team streamlined the approach so you can make tender, crispy chicken any day of the week. From a super simple salting hack to the best way to prevent oil splatters, here’s everything you need to know.

How to Make Fried Chicken Like a Pro

With a few expert tips from Food Network Kitchen, you’ll master this crispy fried chicken recipe in no time.

Buttermilk fried chicken works on two levels. Our recipe developers use buttermilk in the fried chicken batter because its acidity helps the brine penetrate the meat to build flavor fast, and keeps the chicken tender as it cooks.

Customize the fried chicken spices. This blend produces maximum flavor with minimal ingredients, but you can personalize it by adding smoked paprika, dried oregano, dried basil, celery salt, or mustard powder.

Dredge in a blend of dry ingredients. Using both flour and cornstarch for frying chicken helps the coating stay crisp as the meat cooks to temperature. Baking powder aerates the chicken breading recipe so each piece turns out flaky and golden brown.

Choose the right pieces for tender, crispy chicken. Bone-in, skin-on wings are loaded with flavor and only take a few minutes to fry, so you don’t have to finish the pieces in the oven. Boneless thighs are similarly speedy, and the dark meat stays juicy.

How long to fry chicken. Chicken wings cook more quickly than thighs, so our recipe developers recommend frying them separately. Expect six to eight minutes for fried chicken wings, and 8 to 10 minutes for thighs.

Use vegetable or canola oil for frying. These oils have neutral flavors and high smoke points, so your easy fried chicken cooks perfectly.

Ditch the frying pan. Making fried chicken in a large, 30-quart Dutch oven helps it cooks evenly and in fewer batches than in a shallow frying pan. Plus, it helps maintain the oil temperature and prevents it from splattering and overflowing onto your stovetop.

The oil temperature for frying chicken. Use a kitchen thermometer to keep the oil at 360 degrees as you’re making fried chicken. Our recipe developers call it the “sweet spot” for even cooking.

Salt after frying. Sprinkling each piece with salt after you fry adds flavor and pulls in moisture, so the buttermilk fried chicken recipe stays crispy on the outside and tender inside.

How to Store and Reheat This Easy Fried Chicken

Store the fried chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, place a wire baking rack on a sheet pan and arrange the pieces on top. Cook in an oven set to 250 degrees F for approximately 15, or until crisp and warmed through.

What to Eat With Fried Chicken

Serve this easy fried chicken recipe immediately or at room temperature, and pair it with other classic, crowd-pleasing dishes like cornbread, coleslaw, mac and cheese, collard greens, or crunchy cucumber salad.