Chicken-Fried Chicken
By Mark HuxsollPublished on July 2, 2024
Time
1 hour, plus 1½ hours marinating and refrigerating
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Chicken
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed2 cups buttermilk 2 tablespoons pepper, divided4 teaspoons table salt for brining1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided1½ cups all-purpose flour 1¼ cups cornstarch 2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons table salt 3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for fryingGravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups milk, plus extra as needed1 teaspoon table salt 1 teaspoon pepperBefore You Begin
Use a gentle hand when pounding the chicken to ensure that it doesn't tear. If you don't have a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, use a large Dutch oven instead and increase the oil for frying by 1 cup.
Instructions
- Using meat pounder, gently pound each chicken breast to even ¼-inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Whisk buttermilk, 1 tablespoon pepper, 4 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon cayenne together in large bowl. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, remaining 1 tablespoon pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon cayenne together in bowl. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, remove chicken from brine and transfer to flour mixture. Turn to coat, pressing firmly on coating to adhere. Transfer chicken to prepared wire rack. Reserve remaining flour mixture. Refrigerate chicken, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. (If you plan to refrigerate chicken for longer than 30 minutes, refrigerate reserved flour mixture as well.)
- Set second wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. (To take oil temperature, carefully tilt skillet so oil pools on 1 side.)
- Working with 2 pieces of chicken at a time, return chicken to flour mixture and turn to coat, pressing firmly on coating to adhere. Carefully place chicken in hot oil (pieces may overlap slightly; this is OK) and cook until well browned on first side, 3 to 5 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Using tongs, carefully flip chicken and continue to cook until well browned on second side, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined side of rack and let drain on each side for 30 seconds, then move to unlined side of rack. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of chicken. Let chicken cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until smooth, about 30 seconds. Bring to simmer and cook, whisking often, until gravy has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust consistency as needed with extra milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, whisk in salt and pepper. Serve gravy over chicken.
for the chicken
for the gravy
Time
1 hour, plus 1½ hours marinating and refrigeratingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Chicken
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons pepper, divided
4 teaspoons table salt for brining
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons table salt
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, plus extra as needed
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons pepper, divided
4 teaspoons table salt for brining
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons table salt
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, plus extra as needed
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Chicken
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons pepper, divided
4 teaspoons table salt for brining
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, divided
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ cups cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons table salt
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil for frying
Gravy
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, plus extra as needed
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Chicken-fried chicken is an iconic Texan dish with a comical name and a big, bold black pepper flavor. Its name originates from chicken-fried steak, where traditionally tough cuts of beef are pounded, coated in a batter, and shallow-fried. In this recipe, we swapped tender boneless, skinless chicken breasts for the beef and pounded the breasts to an even thickness to ensure that they cooked evenly. Brining the chicken in well-seasoned buttermilk boosted the flavor; helped the chicken retain its juices; and helped adhere a coating mixture of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings to the surface of the chicken. The dry mixture hydrated in the refrigerator and created an even stickier surface for a second dredge, ensuring a thicker, crunchier crust when fried. We made a peppery milk gravy in a saucepan while the chicken cooked (rather than in the skillet using the leftover grease) for a streamlined approach and a cleaner milk flavor.
Want more? Read the whole storyBefore You Begin
Use a gentle hand when pounding the chicken to ensure that it doesn't tear. If you don't have a 12-inch cast-iron skillet, use a large Dutch oven instead and increase the oil for frying by 1 cup.
Instructions
- Using meat pounder, gently pound each chicken breast to even ¼-inch thickness between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Whisk buttermilk, 1 tablespoon pepper, 4 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon cayenne together in large bowl. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Whisk flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, remaining 1 tablespoon pepper, and remaining ½ teaspoon cayenne together in bowl. Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, remove chicken from brine and transfer to flour mixture. Turn to coat, pressing firmly on coating to adhere. Transfer chicken to prepared wire rack. Reserve remaining flour mixture. Refrigerate chicken, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. (If you plan to refrigerate chicken for longer than 30 minutes, refrigerate reserved flour mixture as well.)
- Set second wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Heat oil in 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. (To take oil temperature, carefully tilt skillet so oil pools on 1 side.)
- Working with 2 pieces of chicken at a time, return chicken to flour mixture and turn to coat, pressing firmly on coating to adhere. Carefully place chicken in hot oil (pieces may overlap slightly; this is OK) and cook until well browned on first side, 3 to 5 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Using tongs, carefully flip chicken and continue to cook until well browned on second side, 3 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined side of rack and let drain on each side for 30 seconds, then move to unlined side of rack. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of chicken. Let chicken cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly until smooth, about 30 seconds. Bring to simmer and cook, whisking often, until gravy has thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Adjust consistency as needed with extra milk, 1 tablespoon at a time. Off heat, whisk in salt and pepper. Serve gravy over chicken.
for the chicken
for the gravy
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