This Chicken Fried Chicken with Country Gravy recipe is the ultimate comfort meal. This classic Southern dish includes crispy, golden chicken breasts topped with creamy homemade gravy. It's perfect for cozy dinners or family gatherings. Serve with mashed potatoes, vegetables, or biscuits for a meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
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Table of Contents
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Classic Comfort Food: Chicken fried chicken with country gravy is the epitome of classic Southern comfort food. It's hearty, flavorful, and will take you back to your childhood with feelings of home and nostalgia.
- Rich Flavor: The crispy, seasoned coating of the chicken pairs perfectly with the creamy, savory flavor of country gravy. The combination of textures and tastes creates a delicious balance that is hard to resist.
- Indulgent: This dish is perfect for when you're craving something comforting and filling.
- Air Fryer Method or Pan Sear: This recipe will walk you through both cooking methods. You can save a lot of calories and fat by using the air fryer method.
What Type of Chicken to Use
You should use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Here are some things to consider:
- Uniformity: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts offer a uniform thickness, which ensures even cooking. This is important when you're frying chicken, as it helps prevent parts of the meat from being undercooked or overcooked.
- Easy to Work With: These require minimal prep. You can trim any excess fat or connective tissue, then pound them to an even thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin to ensure uniform cooking.
- Portion Size: Chicken breasts provide a generous portion size. You can also cut them into smaller pieces, such as chicken tenders, if desired.
Pound/Flatten the Chicken
I highly recommend you use a meat tenderizer, rolling pin, or your hands to flatten the chicken breasts. Pounding the chicken helps to tenderize the meat by breaking down the muscle fibers. This will result in a more tender and juicy chicken.
Chicken breasts can vary in thickness, with one end being thicker than the other. Pounding the chicken to an even thickness ensures that it cooks evenly throughout, preventing overcooked or undercooked areas. It will also speed up the cooking time and allow you to achieve a crispy exterior without overcooking the meat.
Double Breading
Dredging or adding breading to foods can be intimidating for some. If you don't mind getting your hands a little sticky, you will do just fine! With this process, the chicken is coated in seasoned flour, then dipped in egg and buttermilk, and again in the seasoned flour. It gets coated in flour twice.
This method results in a thicker, crunchier coating around the chicken, creating a satisfying texture and flavor. It's one of the first things you think about when it comes to country fried chicken! That thick coating.
How to Make Chicken Fried Chicken with Country Gravy
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or your hands to pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Combine flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and egg mixture, and again in the flour mixture. Keep a moist towel nearby. Your hand
What Type of Oil to Use (if not Air Frying)
You will want to use an oil with a high smoke point and neutral flavor to ensure the best results. Olive oil and avocado will not work well for pan frying. They both have lower smoke points than the oils listed below that are recommended.
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The smoke point is the temperature at which an oil begins to break down and produce smoke. Frying requires high temperatures.
Here are some options:
- Vegetable Oil: Vegetable oil is a popular choice for frying chicken. It has a high smoke point, which means it can be heated to a high temperature without burning, and its neutral flavor won't overpower the taste of the chicken.
- Peanut Oil: Peanut oil is another excellent option. It has a high smoke point and a mild flavor, making it ideal for achieving a crispy coating on the chicken without imparting a strong taste.
- Canola Oil: Canola oil is a versatile cooking oil with a high smoke point and a mild flavor. It's a popular choice because it allows the natural flavors of the chicken to shine through.
What Type of Pan to Use for Pan Frying
It's best to use a heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan. Here are options:
- Cast Iron Skillet: I used a 10.25 inch. Use the size that will fit the amount of chicken you plan to prepare. Cast iron distributes heat evenly and retains heat effectively, which helps achieve a crispy exterior on the chicken. Additionally, cast iron skillets can withstand high temperatures, making them ideal for frying.
- Stainless Steel Skillet: A stainless steel skillet is another good option. Stainless steel heats up relatively quickly and provides even heat distribution. Look for a skillet with a thick, heavy base to prevent hot spots and ensure consistent cooking.
Homemade Country Gravy
Country gravy is also known as white gravy and is a classic Southern-style gravy made from pan drippings, fat (like butter), flour, and milk. It's often served over biscuits, fried chicken, chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes, or other comfort foods. I'm not stranger to gravy! You can also check out my Turkey Gravy From Drippings and Yellow Gravy recipes.
You will definitely want to make this as an amazing topping!
How to Reheat
Reheating fried chicken while maintaining its crispy texture and juicy interior is a challenge. In general, I recommend only cooking enough for what you plan to eat in that moment. There are some methods that will come close and reheat the chicken fairly well.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until heated through. To help retain crispiness, avoid covering the chicken with foil, as this can trap moisture and make it soggy.
- Use your air fryer and reheat at 350 degrees and place the chicken in a single layer in the basket. Reheat for about 5-7 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.
- Use the stove and heat a small amount of oil or butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until heated through and crispy.
Freezer Tips
The chicken can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months without significant loss of quality. However, for the best taste and texture, it's ideal to consume it within 1-2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Pair With These Recipes
Southern Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Fried Corn
Stovetop Candied Sweet Potatoes
Mixed Greens
Southern Soul Food Cornbread
Chicken Fried Chicken with Country Gravy
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
- oil for skillet frying See notes.
- cooking oil For air fryer method. I use olive oil.
- parchment paper
Country Gravy
- 2 tablespoons oil drippings from the pan
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 - 1 ½ cups milk or half and half Start with 1 cup and add more liquid as needed to thin out the gravy to reach your desired texture.
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder Optional for flavor.
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or your hands to pound the chicken to an even thickness. This helps ensure even cooking and tenderness.
- Combine the flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to taste in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken.
- Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture, then the buttermilk and egg mixture, and again in the flour mixture. Keep a moist towel nearby. Your hands will get sticky.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil. Add the breaded chicken to the basket. Spritz the chicken with cooking oil spray.
- Air fry for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. If you notice white areas of flour on the chicken, be sure to spritz those areas with oil. This will also help with crisping.
- Open the air fryer and flip the chicken. Be gentle and careful so that you do not lose any of the breading. Air fry for an additional 4-8 minutes at 400 degrees or until the chicken is crisp and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer.
Pan Fried Chicken
- In a large skillet, heat enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet, about 2 inches over medium-high heat. Allow the oil to heat up until it reaches a temperature of 325-350 degrees. Use a thermometer.
- Carefully place the coated chicken breasts into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to fry the chicken in batches. Cook the chicken for about 5-7 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature of the chicken should reach 165 degrees. Keep watch and don't overcook.
- Once the chicken is cooked, use tongs to transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess oil. To avoid sogginess on the bottom, place the chicken on a wire rack to cool.Allow the chicken to rest for a few minutes before serving.
Country Gravy
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the pan drippings in the pan and add the butter to the drippings.
- When melted, add in the flour. Add it in stages and stir continuously to avoid clumping. This will create a roux, which will thicken the gravy.
- Add in milk or half and half. Stir until the gravy begins to thicken. If the gravy is too thick, add additional milk or half and half. Stir (and continue to milk or half and half) until the gravy reaches your desired consistency.
- Sprinkle in the spices and stir. Taste repeatedly and adjust the spices to suit your taste.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Christin Elston says
Tried this dish today and it was so delicious!!! The chicken was juicy and the coating had a perfect crunch! Be sure to spritz the chicken with oil when in the air fryer like mentioned so that it browns all over. Mine looked beautiful and tasted even better… especially with that gravy paired with the Southern Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes! Use all recipes and can’t go wrong… all the southern comfort on one plate.
staysnatched says
Yay! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Ashley says
This was so good! Definitely another family hit! Thank you so much for a delicious version of this classic! I’m still thinking about the gravy days later lol!
staysnatched says
haha! Yes! The best part.
Kim says
How do you make the gravey if an air fryer is used? I love country fried chicken but my husband wont eat anything fried. Thanks KIM
staysnatched says
You make it on the stove. You won't have much pan drippings, but it's made the same way.