Frying raw chicken to crispy, golden brown perfection is an art With the right techniques and a few expert tips, you’ll be serving up mouthwatering fried chicken in no time. This comprehensive guide answers the age-old question how do you fry raw chicken so it turns out moist, flavorful and oh-so-satisfying?
Choose the Right Chicken Parts
The first step is selecting the right chicken pieces for frying. While you can fry any cut of chicken, some are better suited than others
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Chicken drumsticks and thighs – Naturally juicy and flavorful with an intact bone structure to retain moisture during cooking The most common cuts used for frying
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Chicken breasts – Leaner than dark meat but can still fry up nicely. Opt for smaller breasts or butterfly them to ensure even cooking.
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Chicken wings – Offer the perfect balance of crispy skin and tender meat. A popular fried choice.
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Chicken tenders – All white meat strips that fry up quick and crispy. Great for picky eaters.
Prep the Raw Chicken
Before frying, proper prep is key:
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Pat dry – Excess moisture causes steam, soggy skin and less crispy results. Thoroughly pat raw chicken dry with paper towels.
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Season well – A flavorful seasoning blend enhances taste. Use salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne and other favorite spices.
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Brine if desired – For added moisture and flavor, soak chicken in a saltwater brine solution for a few hours before frying.
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Dredge in flour – Lightly coat chicken in flour, cornstarch or a combo of both to help form a crispy crust when frying.
Choose a Frying Oil with High Smoke Point
The oil you fry in significantly impacts the end result. Look for oils with high smoke points above 375°F:
- Vegetable, canola or peanut oil
- Shortening or lard
- Avoid olive oil and butter (smoke points too low)
Master the Frying Process
Follow these steps for foolproof fried chicken:
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Heat oil to 350-375°F – Use a deep fry or candy thermometer to accurately gauge temperature.
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Fry in batches – Avoid overcrowding. Fry chicken in manageable batches to maintain oil temperature.
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Fry for 5-8 minutes per side – Flip halfway through until golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
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Drain on paper towels – Let fried chicken drain briefly on a paper towel lined plate or rack before serving.
Handy Tips for Perfect Results
Frying chicken well takes practice. Keep these handy tips in mind:
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Don’t overcrowd the pan which drops oil temperature
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Gently flip chicken once during frying
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Check internal temperature using a meat thermometer
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Let chicken rest before serving for crispiest texture
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Refrigerate and reuse frying oil up to 2-3 times
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Adjust heat to maintain ideal 350-375°F oil temperature
How Long Does It Take to Fry Chicken?
Frying raw chicken into succulent, golden perfection takes time. Plan for:
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10-30 minutes marinating chicken
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5-10 minutes per batch frying time
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10 minutes draining/resting before serving
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15-20 minutes total frying time for bone-in parts
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10-15 minutes total for boneless breasts or tenders
Thicker cuts like bone-in breasts or whole legs take the longest. Thinner boneless cuts require less time.
What’s the Best Fried Chicken Bread Coating?
The coating you dredge raw chicken in before hitting the hot oil makes all the difference. Consider these crowd-pleasing breading options:
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Flour or cornstarch – Classic and simple dredge for crispy results
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Seasoned flour blend – Jazz up plain flour with paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, etc.
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Panko breadcrumbs – Japanese-style crumbs create an extra crispy crust.
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Cornflake crumbs – Crushed cornflakes offer irresistible crunch.
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Spiced breadcrumb blends – Tailor flavor with seasoned blends.
How to Keep Fried Chicken Crispy and Warm
Fried chicken loses its magic when it gets cold and soggy. Here’s how to keep it hot and crispy:
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Let chicken drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet
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Keep batches warm in a 225°F oven on a wire rack set over a baking sheet
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Fry chicken as close to serving time as possible
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Enjoy immediately for best texture and temperature
Craving More Crunch? Double Fry Chicken
For ultimate crunch-factor, try double frying:
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Fry raw chicken halfway at 300°F for 4-5 minutes to cook.
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Let chicken rest 5-10 minutes off heat.
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Fry chicken second time at 375°F until crispy and cooked through.
The pause helps chicken better absorb oil for amplified crunch!
How to Reheat Leftover Fried Chicken
Leftover fried chicken reheats beautifully. Try these quick tricks:
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Use oven or toaster oven at 350°F for 10-15 minutes
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Air fry at 370°F, flipping halfway for even crisping
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Pan fry in 1-2 Tbsp oil over medium-high heat
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Microwave in 30 second intervals, checking for desired texture
Satisfy Southern Fried Chicken Cravings
When that hankering for crispy, juicy, golden fried chicken strikes, you’ll be ready to satisfy it perfectly. From choosing the right chicken and oil to mastering cooking technique, you now know exactly how to fry raw chicken for mouthwatering results every time.
So gather your ingredients, heat up that oil and fry away for a quintessential downhome meal that’ll disappear in a heartbeat. Before you know it, you’ll be the new fried chicken expert that friends and family rave about.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- whole chicken (cut up) – you can just use your favorite cut of chicken here: breasts, thighs, wings, legs.
- salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder – this is the blend of seasonings I enjoy but feel free to use your favorite or use the copycat KFC seasoning blend above in the FAQ.
- buttermilk – I talk about this in more detail above in the Frequently Asked Question section. This really makes the meat so tender and keeps it from being dry. As I said above, there really is just no true substitute for buttermilk here. If you are in an absolute pinch, you can check out my post on How to Make Buttermilk (but seriously, try to use the real stuff here).
- hot sauce – this is optional but adds a nice little kick.
- cornstarch – this is what gives you that crispy skin so don’t skip it.
- peanut oil – this is my favorite oil to fry in since it isn’t going to take away flavor from the chicken (and its the less stinky kind of oil).
FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE FOR CRUNCHY SKIN AND TENDER CHICKEN
I’m from the south and we all know that Fried Chicken is a staple here. Something that you are born to love and born to eat! This recipe for The Best Southern Fried Chicken is one of my favorite recipes and one that took me a few years to get just right. This recipe produces a crunchy exterior with moist chicken on the inside. The absolute perfect chicken in my opinion. Really good fried chicken takes time so don’t rush this one.
No, please don’t if at all possible. If you are going to go through the trouble of making fried chicken from scratch, you will be missing out on so much flavor. Please, please try to pick up the real stuff (not the kind that you make with milk and vinegar and lemon juice (more on that below – that is good for most recipes but not the most ideal for fried chicken). An overnight soak is optimal for maximum juiciness.
The mixture of the cornstarch and flour helps give it that extra crunchy exterior.
This recipe works with any cut of chicken. The key is just making sure the chicken is cooked to 165F degrees internal temperature.
Peanut oil has a neutral flavor that won’t compromise the flavor of the chicken. Canola oil would be my second choice.
I deep fry my chicken in a deep fryer but you can also do this in a deep, heavy bottomed pot. I just find that you often get darker burn-like spots with a cast iron pan if you aren’t super careful.
Well, you’ll need to use their famous 11 herbs and spices. Just substitute the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in this recipe for the following seasonings: (you will skip the step of seasoning the individual chicken pieces and stir in 2 1/2 Tablespoons of this seasoning in with the flour/cornstarch mixture). Note: you will not use this entire amount. Mix it together and use about 2 1/2 Tablespoons of the mixture in place of the seasonings I provide below if using it in this recipe. 2 teaspoons salt ½ Tablespoon dried thyme ½ Tablespoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 teaspoon celery salt ½ Tablespoon black pepper 1 Tablespoon mustard powder 2 Tablespoons paprika 2 Tablespoons garlic salt 1 Tablespoon powdered ginger 1 Tablespoon pepper (use white pepper if you have it)
How To: Pan-Fry Chicken Breasts
FAQ
How to fry chicken from raw?
Fry the Chicken
Pour the oil in a skillet and bring it to high heat. Brown the chicken on both sides, then reduce the heat, cover the skillet, and cook for about 30 minutes. Remove the cover, return the heat to high, and fry until extra crispy. Drain the chicken on paper towels.
How long should I fry uncooked chicken?
(Oil temperature will drop; maintain it at 350ºF). Fry chicken for 12 to 15 minutes or until coating is golden and chicken is no longer pink.Dec 14, 2023
How long does raw chicken take in the fryer?
Cook at 180C for 18-20 mins, turning after 10 mins. To check it is cooked, pierce the chicken with a knife at the thickest part to see if the juices run clear. Or insert a temperature thermometer and it should read 70C.
Do I dip chicken in egg or flour first?
When preparing breaded chicken, you should first dip the chicken in flour, then in egg, and finally in breadcrumbs or the final coating. This order ensures a good adherence of the breading to the chicken and results in a crispy coating.