Classic Batter Fried Chicken

I’ve always been a sucker for good fried chicken. There’s something about that crispy, golden coating that gets me every time. But let’s be honest – making it at home can feel like a lot of work. Between the flour, the eggs, the breadcrumbs, and all those bowls, my kitchen usually looks like a tornado hit it.

That’s why I fell in love with batter fried chicken. Instead of dealing with multiple steps and messy breading stations, you just dip the chicken in a simple batter and fry it up. The batter creates this light, crispy shell that’s every bit as good as the traditional stuff. Plus, cleanup is so much easier when you’re only dealing with one bowl instead of three.

Want chicken that’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside? This is your recipe. It’s the kind of comfort food that makes everyone happy, and trust me, once you try this method, you might never go back to the old way.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For batter fried chicken, you’ll want to use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces since they stay juicier during the frying process and give you that classic crispy-outside, tender-inside texture. You can buy a whole chicken and cut it up yourself, or grab a mix of your favorite pieces from the store – thighs, drumsticks, breasts, and wings all work great. Dark meat pieces like thighs and drumsticks tend to be more forgiving and stay moist, while breasts cook a bit faster, so keep that in mind when you’re frying. If you’re buying pre-cut pieces, just make sure they’re roughly the same size so they cook evenly, and don’t forget to cut those chicken breasts in half crosswise like the recipe suggests.

Options for Substitutions

This crispy fried chicken recipe has some room for swaps, but a few ingredients are pretty important to keep:

• All-purpose flour and cornstarch: The combo of flour and cornstarch is what gives you that perfect crispy coating, so I wouldn’t mess with this ratio. If you’re out of cornstarch, you can use all flour, but your coating won’t be quite as crunchy.
• Vegetable or peanut oil: Both oils work great for frying since they have high smoke points. You can also use canola oil or even lard if you want extra flavor. Just avoid olive oil – it can’t handle the high heat.
• Chicken pieces: While bone-in, skin-on pieces give the best results, you can use boneless thighs or breasts if that’s what you have. Just reduce the cooking time by about 5-7 minutes since they’ll cook faster.
• Spices: Feel free to adjust the heat level by using more or less cayenne pepper. You can also add garlic powder, onion powder, or your favorite seasoning blend to make it your own.
• Baking powder: This is key for getting that light, airy batter, so don’t skip it. If yours is old, make sure it’s still active by testing it in a bit of water first.
• Cold water in batter: The cold water helps create a crispy coating, but you can substitute with cold buttermilk or even beer for extra flavor and tang.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making batter fried chicken is not maintaining the right oil temperature – if it’s too hot (over 375°F), your batter will burn before the chicken cooks through, and if it’s too cool (under 325°F), you’ll end up with greasy, soggy coating.

Another common error is skipping the brining step or not patting the chicken completely dry before dipping in batter, which prevents the coating from sticking properly and can cause dangerous oil splattering.

Don’t overcrowd your pot either – frying too many pieces at once drops the oil temperature and leads to uneven cooking, so work in batches of 3-4 pieces maximum.

Finally, resist the urge to flip the chicken too early or too often, as this can cause the batter to fall off – let each side cook undisturbed for about 4-5 minutes before turning, and always use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

What to Serve With Batter Fried Chicken?

Fried chicken practically begs for classic Southern sides like creamy mashed potatoes, buttery biscuits, and coleslaw to balance out all that crispy goodness. Mac and cheese is another crowd-pleaser that pairs perfectly with the crunchy coating and juicy chicken. For something a bit lighter, try serving it with corn on the cob, green beans, or a fresh garden salad with ranch dressing. Don’t forget the honey or hot sauce on the side – some folks like a little sweetness while others want that extra kick of heat with their chicken.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Store your leftover fried chicken in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in a loosely covered container. I like to place it on a wire rack over a baking sheet so air can circulate around it, which helps keep the coating from getting too soggy.

Freeze: Fried chicken freezes really well for up to 3 months! Let it cool completely first, then wrap individual pieces in foil or place them in freezer bags. When you’re ready to eat, thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheat: To get that crispy coating back, reheat your chicken in a 375°F oven for about 15-20 minutes until heated through. Skip the microwave if you can – it’ll make the coating soft and chewy instead of crispy like you want it.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	30-60 minutes
Total Time	105-120 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 4000-4800
• Protein: 200-220 g
• Fat: 400-450 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

For the brine:

• 4 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

For the chicken:

• 4 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (chicken breasts halved, leg quarters separated)

For the batter:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 to 5 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus additional to taste
• 1 3/4 cups cold water

For frying:

• 12 cups vegetable or peanut oil

Step 1: Brine the Chicken

• 4 cups cold water
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 4 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (chicken breasts halved, leg quarters separated)

In a large bowl, whisk together the cold water, kosher salt, and granulated sugar until both the sugar and salt dissolve completely.

Add the chicken pieces to the brine, ensuring they are fully submerged.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 60 minutes to allow the chicken to absorb moisture and seasoning.

Step 2: Prepare the Batter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 to 5 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cups cold water

While the chicken is brining, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, ground black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, baking powder, and kosher salt in a large bowl.

Whisk in the cold water until the mixture becomes a smooth batter.

Cover and refrigerate the batter until ready to use.

Step 3: Heat the Oil and Prepare the Chicken

• 12 cups vegetable or peanut oil
• chicken pieces from Step 1

Begin heating the vegetable or peanut oil in a large Dutch oven or other deep pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (176°C).

Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet to drain the fried chicken later.

Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the brine, discard the brine, and thoroughly pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels.

Properly drying the chicken helps the batter adhere better and results in crispier fried chicken.

I always make sure to get the chicken as dry as possible for best results.

Step 4: Batter and Fry the Chicken

• batter from Step 2
• chicken pieces from Step 3
• vegetable or peanut oil from Step 3

Re-whisk the batter from the refrigerator to ensure it is smooth; if it appears too thick, add cold water a tablespoon at a time until it resembles the consistency of pancake batter.

Working in two batches, dip half of the dried chicken pieces into the batter, coating them thoroughly.

Lift the chicken from the batter and allow excess to drip back into the bowl.

Carefully place the coated chicken into the hot oil.

Fry, maintaining the oil temperature between 300°F and 325°F (149°C to 163°C), until the chicken is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) for white meat or 175°F (79°C) for dark meat, about 12 to 25 minutes depending on size.

Drain fried chicken on the wire rack.

Repeat the process with the remaining chicken, bringing the oil back to 350°F (176°C) before adding the next batch.

Step 5: Serve the Fried Chicken

Arrange the freshly fried chicken on a platter and serve it hot, warm, at room temperature, or even cold if you have leftovers.

For extra flavor, I like to sprinkle a little extra kosher salt over the hot chicken right after frying.