“Just Like Mama Used to Make It” Country Fried Chicken Recipe!

“Just Like Mama’s” Country Fried Chicken is a Southern classic great for an after-church or weekend meal. Fried chicken takes some preparation, time, and a lot of love to make perfect, but if you’re looking for a comforting, filling meal that the whole family will enjoy, this is it!

Country Fried Chicken Tips

Frying chicken is a delicate process that can be difficult for those that are new to frying. But don’t fret, because there are ways you can make even your first time frying chicken go smooth and turn out great!

Here are a few basic chicken frying tips to help you along:

• Don’t get the oil too hot. On the average stove, the perfect frying temperature can be achieved at Medium or Medium-High. If the oil is too hot, you’re definitely going to burn the chicken before it has a chance to cook in the middle.
• Thin out thick pieces of chicken before you do anything else. Frying a half-pound chicken breast just isn’t going to turn out well. Before you even think of frying, thin out your chicken breasts. If they’re thick, cut them in half (as if you’re butterflying them). If you’re worried about it taking too long to cook and potentially burning, cut the breast into fingers.
• Your oil should bubble and “foam” rapidly when it’s introduced to the breading. However, if the oil smokes a lot or pops out of control, it’s way too hot. Turn the stove down a notch.

What to Serve With Mama’s Country Fried Chicken

Since this is a Southern-style dish, we recommend serving it with Southern-style side dishes!

Pair with:

• Mashed potatoes
• Brussel sprouts
• Mac & Cheese
• Fried Potatoes
• Collard Greens
• Cornbread
• Green beans & bacon

“Just Like Mama’s” Country Fried Chicken Recipe

Scroll to the bottom for the printable version of this recipe!

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 1/2 cups frying oil (we used vegetable oil)

Buttermilk Marinade

• 2 cups of buttermilk
• 2 large eggs (whisked)
• 3 teaspoons of salt

Breading

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs (1 cup for crispier chicken)
• 2 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt (optional)
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (1 tsp for more of a kick)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

This country fried chicken recipe serves about 4 to 6 people, depending on how hungry you are and if you cut the breasts in half or in fingers. It can be prepared, cooked, and ready to serve in a little over 1 hour.

Country Fried Chicken Instructions

To get started on your fried chicken, first, gather your tools. You will need:

• A meat tenderizer
• A fork and knife (to later check for doneness)
• A wire rack for draining
• 2 large mixing bowls (or 1 container for marinating and 1 large bowl for breading)
• Oil thermometer
• Iron skillet or large pan

1.) Get Prepared

Tenderize the chicken breasts until they’re about 1/2 an inch thick. Or cut in half as if you’re butterflying the meat, or into fingers. Prepare your marinade and allow the chicken to marinate for 2 hours or overnight. *The longer it sits, the more tender the chicken will be

2.) Prepare Sidedishes and Get Ready to Fry

Once the chicken is done marinating, put your pan or skillet on the stove and add enough oil to cover the chicken pieces by half. Turn stove on Medium and allow it to heat up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, or until a pinch of flour bubbles rapidly as soon as it’s dropped in the oil.

Combine your dry ingredients for the breading, set aside, and fix your side dishes. Keep your side dishes warm using tin foil, or by leaving them on the back burner on Low. Gather everything you need to make gravy, but DON’T start cooking the gravy until after all of the chicken has been fried.

Bread your chicken. Coat each of the breasts or fingers in the breading until completely covered. If you want thicker breading, bread once, dip chicken back into the marinade, and then bread again. You can either bread all of your chicken before frying, or bread and fry each chicken piece as you go.

3.) Fry the Chicken

Transfer 1 or 2 of the chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes on each side, until crust is a deep golden brown. You’ll be able to fit 5 or 6 fingers into the pan at once if that’s what you decide to do. *Before removing chicken from the skillet, use your knife and fork to cut open to the center to check for doneness.

When chicken is done frying, move to your wire rack and allow chicken to drip excess oil.

4.) Fix Gravy and Serve!

Lastly, fix your gravy, prepare your plates, and serve! (We recommend slathering gravy all over the chicken and mashed potatoes).

How to Ensure Your Chicken is Thoroughly Cooked

Fried chicken can be finicky, in that it looks done on the outside, but the inside can be raw and pink if not cooked long enough.

When your chicken reaches the end of its recommended frying time, grab a very sharp paring knife and fork, and cut directly in the middle. Use the fork to pull the chicken slightly apart.

If the juices run clear, NOT pink, that’s a sign of near doneness. Flip the chicken over once more and fry for 1 or 2 minutes until the juices are dried up.

The chicken should look flaky and white in the center. If it feels “rubbery” when cutting OR the chicken is pink (even slightly) in the middle, continue cooking in 1-2 minute increments until done. Flip the chicken every 1-2 minutes to prevent burning after recommended 5-minute cooking time on each side.

And there you have it! “Just Like Mama’s” Country Fried Chicken!

Be sure to check out MomDot’s other chicken favorites:

• Baked Parmesan Crusted Chicken
• Keto Baked Chicken Tenders
• Chicken Avocado Burrito
• White Chicken Lasagna

Don’t forget to leave a rating or a comment to let us know how you liked the recipe! Thank you, and ENJOY!