Fried Chicken: Do You Season The Chicken Or The Flour?
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Seasoning technique matters greatly for achieving the best fried chicken. Southern fried chicken was developed by African American cooks, and one essential soul food tip we stand on is to season both the chicken and the flour!

This approach significantly affects the taste and texture of a crispy fried chicken recipe. Seasoning the chicken enhances the meat’s flavor, which is vital for successful chicken recipes. Meanwhile, seasoning the flour ensures a crispy, flavorful outer layer that sings with flavor! Both techniques have their unique impact on Southern fried chicken, making this choice essential for any home cook.
Do you season chicken before frying it?
Soul food seasoning rule number one: Always season your meat. Seasoning the chicken before cooking allows the spices to penetrate the meat, enhancing flavor during the cooking process. Therefore, be sure to season both the flour and the chicken before coating it.

Do you season flour for fried chicken?
Seasoning the flour helps create a crispy and flavorful outer layer, enhancing the dish’s texture and ensuring a consistent distribution of flavors. By seasoning both the flour and the meat, you can make sure that every bite is equally delicious. The spices for the chicken blend seamlessly with the flour mixture, allowing them to adhere perfectly to each piece of chicken.

The full seasoning process for Southern fried chicken
It’s essential to season both the chicken and the flour. This method of seasoning the chicken directly and incorporating the spices into the flour mixture creates a savory explosion with each bite while also enhancing the natural flavors of the poultry. The crispy coating results in a final product that is irresistible in both taste and texture. So, you can’t season one and not the other.
- Season your chicken liberally before you get started
- Make a seasoned flour mixture and coat the seasoned chicken with the seasoned flour
- Shake off excess flour and dip the chicken in a buttermilk marinade.
- Transfer chicken to another bowl of flour and toss to coat.
- Finally, fry the chicken until it reaches crispy soul food Southern fried chicken perfection!
Seasoning both the chicken and the flour separately, and then bringing them together, is the key to truly making delicious Southern fried chicken.
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