Country Fried Chicken with Homemade Chicken Gravy

If you're craving a real comfort food dinner, this is it. This country fried chicken is crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and served with a rich homemade chicken gravy that pulls the whole plate together. Pounded thin, soaked in a buttermilk marinade, and coated in a seasoned flour and breadcrumb breading, this is what Southern-style country fried chicken should be.

Why You’ll Love This Country Fried Chicken Recipe

This recipe has three parts: the chicken, the buttermilk marinade, and the gravy, and here's what you'll need for each.

Chicken:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil

Buttermilk Marinade:

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1 tablespoon salt

Breading:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 ½ teaspoons Lawry’s seasoning
• ¾ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
• ½ teaspoon onion powder

Gravy:

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon parsley

How To Make Country Fried Chicken

Step 1: Pound The Chicken

Place each chicken breast between pieces of plastic wrap. Use a meat tenderizer to pound the chicken until it’s about ½ inch thick. Try to make each piece as even as possible so the chicken cooks at the same rate.

Step 2: Make The Buttermilk Marinade

Pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels or a kitchen towel.

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, and salt. Add the chicken and turn each piece so it’s fully coated. Cover and marinate for 1-2 hours, or overnight for even more tender chicken.

Step 3: Bring The Chicken Toward Room Temperature

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator 25-30 minutes before frying. This helps the chicken cook more evenly and keeps the oil temperature from dropping too much when the chicken hits the pan.

Step 4: Mix The Breading

In a shallow bowl, mix together the flour, seasoned breadcrumbs, Lawry’s seasoning, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and onion powder. Stir well so the spices are evenly distributed through the flour mixture.

Step 5: Bread The Chicken

Transfer one piece of marinated chicken to the breading mixture. Flip it several times and press the breading into all the little nooks and crannies until the chicken is completely coated and feels dry on the outside.

Don’t bread all of the chicken at once. Bread each piece right before you’re ready to fry it so the coating stays crisp and doesn’t get gummy.

Step 6: Heat The Oil

Add enough vegetable oil to a skillet to cover the chicken about halfway. Heat the oil to 350°F. A cast-iron skillet works best because it holds heat well and helps the chicken fry evenly.

Step 7: Fry The Chicken

Carefully add the chicken to the hot oil. Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until the outside is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through. Once the edges start to brown nicely, carefully flip with a thin spatula. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.

Step 8: Drain On a Wire Rack

Transfer the fried chicken to a wire cooling rack. Let the excess oil drip off from the bottom. A wire rack keeps the coating crisp better than placing the chicken directly on paper towels.

Step 9: Make The Gravy

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour to make a roux. Keep whisking until the mixture turns a toasted golden color and smells slightly nutty.

Slowly pour in the chicken broth while whisking to prevent lumps. Bring the gravy to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until thickened. Season with black pepper and parsley.

Step 10: Serve

Serve the country fried chicken warm with the gravy spooned over the top or on the side. It’s best eaten right away while the coating is crispy and the gravy is hot.

Expert Tips For the Best Country Fried Chicken

• Pound the chicken evenly. Chicken breasts are naturally thicker on one end, which means the thin side overcooks before the thick side is done. Pounding everything to an even half inch thickness is the single most important step for juicy, evenly cooked chicken every time.
• Don't rush the marinade. 1-2 hours works but overnight is where the magic happens. The buttermilk breaks down the muscle fibers and tenderizes the chicken in a way a quick soak just can't replicate. If you have the time, use it.
• Bread each piece right before it goes in the oil. If breaded chicken sits around too long before frying the coating absorbs moisture from the marinade and turns gummy. Bread one piece, drop it in the oil, then bread the next one.
• Press the breading in firmly. Don't just give the chicken a light dusting. Press it into the flour and breadcrumb mixture, flip it, and press again. Work it into every crease and crevice, that's where the crunchy coating comes from.
• Use a cast iron skillet. Cast iron holds heat more consistently than thinner pans and keeps the oil temperature steady throughout frying. Steady oil temperature means an even golden crust on every single piece.
• Keep the oil at 350°F. Too cool and the chicken turns greasy. Too hot and the outside burns before the inside is cooked through. Use a thermometer and check it between batches since the temperature drops every time chicken goes in.
• Don't crowd the pan. Fry in batches even if it means waiting. Too much chicken at once drops the oil temperature and steams the coating instead of crisping it. Give each piece enough room to do its thing.
• Rest on a wire rack, not paper towels. A wire rack lets air circulate under the chicken so the bottom stays just as crispy as the top. Paper towels trap steam underneath and soften the crust you just worked hard to build.
• Cook the roux until it's golden. For the gravy, don't rush the butter and flour stage. Let it cook over medium low heat until it turns a light golden color before adding any liquid. This removes the raw flour taste and gives the gravy that rich, toasty depth that makes it taste like it simmered all day.

What To Serve With Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken is one of those meals that goes with just about every classic comfort food side you can think of. Here's what works best.

• For the full Southern plate: Mashed potatoes and gravy are the obvious choice and for good reason...they're perfect together. Add a biscuit, some green beans, and a scoop of 3 cheese mac and cheese and you've got a dinner that feels like a real Sunday meal.
• For classic sides: Southern fried cornbread, collard greens, fried okra, corn on the cob, baked beans, and coleslaw all pair really well with country fried chicken. Any combination of these and you've got a comfort food spread that'll have everyone going back for seconds.
• For a lighter plate: A simple side salad or roasted vegetables balance out the richness of the chicken and gravy really well if you want something a little fresher alongside it.
• For the diner style experience: Chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy poured over everything, green beans on the side, and a biscuit to soak up whatever's left on the plate. That's the move.

How To Store and Reheat Country Fried Chicken

Country fried chicken is always best fresh out of the pan, but leftovers are absolutely worth saving, especially if you reheat them the right way.

• In the refrigerator: Let the chicken cool completely before storing. Keep the chicken and gravy in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. Storing them separately prevents the breading from getting soggy from the gravy sitting on top of it.
• To reheat in the oven: This is the best method for keeping the breading crispy. Place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and warm at 350°F until heated through. The rack keeps air circulating underneath so the bottom stays just as crispy as the top.
• To reheat in the air fryer: Even better than the oven if you have one. A few minutes at 350°F and the breading comes back almost as crispy as the day it was made. This is my go-to for leftover country fried chicken.
• To reheat in the microwave: It works in a pinch but the breading will soften. If the microwave is your only option go for it, just don't expect the same crunch. The oven or air fryer are always worth the extra few minutes.
• To reheat the gravy: Warm it in a small saucepan over low heat and whisk it often. If it's thickened up in the fridge just add a splash of chicken broth and whisk until it's smooth and pourable again.
• To freeze: Freeze the cooked chicken without the gravy for up to 2 months. Wrap each piece individually and store in a freezer safe bag with as much air removed as possible. Reheat straight from frozen in the oven or air fryer at 350°F until hot and crispy all the way through.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between country fried chicken and chicken fried steak?

People mix these up all the time. Country fried chicken is chicken breast that's pounded thin, breaded, and pan fried, usually served with a brown or chicken gravy. Chicken fried steak is the same concept but made with a tenderized beef cutlet and almost always served with a white cream gravy. Same cooking method, different protein, different gravy.

What's the difference between country fried chicken and Southern fried chicken?

Southern fried chicken is typically deep fried in a large amount of oil and served without gravy. Country fried chicken is pan fried in a shallower amount of oil and the gravy is considered part of the dish. Country fried chicken is also usually made with boneless breasts pounded thin while Southern fried chicken is often made with bone-in pieces.

Why isn't my breading sticking to the chicken?

This usually comes down to one of three things. The chicken wasn't dry enough before going into the buttermilk, the breading wasn't pressed in firmly enough, or the breaded chicken sat too long before hitting the oil and the coating got gummy. Pat the chicken dry first, press the breading in firmly, and bread each piece right before it goes in the pan.

Why is my country fried chicken greasy?

Greasy chicken almost always means the oil wasn't hot enough when the chicken went in. Cold oil soaks into the breading instead of crisping it. Make sure your oil is at 350°F before the first piece goes in and check the temperature between batches since it drops every time chicken is added.

Can I use chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts?

Yes and a lot of people actually prefer thighs for this recipe because they're naturally juicier and more forgiving if they cook a minute or two longer. Boneless skinless thighs work best, pound them to an even thickness just like you would the breasts and follow the same cooking time.

Can I make country fried chicken in the air fryer?

You can but the result is different. The air fryer won't give you the same deep golden crust that pan frying does because there's no oil contact with the breading. If you want to try it spray the breaded chicken generously with cooking spray and air fry at 400°F for about 15-18 minutes flipping halfway through. It's a lighter version but not quite the same thing.

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

The buttermilk marinade can absolutely be done ahead, in fact overnight is better. The chicken itself is best fried fresh since the breading softens as it sits. If you're making this for a crowd you can pound and marinate the chicken the night before, then bread and fry right before serving. The gravy can also be made ahead and reheated with a splash of chicken broth to loosen it back up.

What oil is best for frying country fried chicken?

You want a neutral oil with a high smoke point. Vegetable oil is the most common choice and what this recipe uses. Canola oil works just as well. Avoid olive oil or butter for frying since they have lower smoke points and will burn before the chicken is cooked through.

How do I know when country fried chicken is done?

The outside should be deep golden brown and the internal temperature should read 165°F on a meat thermometer. Since the chicken is pounded thin it cooks quickly, usually 4-5 minutes per side, so keep an eye on it. If the outside is browning too fast before the inside is done your oil is too hot.

Can I make the gravy with milk instead of chicken broth?

Yes, a milk based white gravy is actually more traditional for chicken fried steak but works great here too. Use whole milk for the richest result and season it well with black pepper. It'll be thicker and creamier than the chicken broth version with a more classic Southern diner flavor.

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