Black Folks Soul Food Southern Fried Chicken Recipe
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Soul food fried chicken is revered in Southern cuisine, representing a significant aspect of African American culinary traditions and community bonding.
Similar to renowned fried chicken restaurants that boast of their secret blends of herbs and spices, the essence of a soul food fried chicken recipe lies in its unique seasoning combination, which goes beyond the basics of just herbs and spices. This is what gives it such an exceptional flavor.
Originating from the kitchens of skilled soul food cooks, like my mom and her old-school soul food fried chicken recipe HERE, soul food fried chicken is characterized by seasoning both the chicken and the flour, incorporating more than just salt and pepper for flavor. This dish transcends being mere nourishment. It’s a masterclass in soul food cooking that embodies comfort, connection, and the enduring spirit and resilience of Black culture.
Black folks’ fried chicken
Most soul food is Southern. But not all Southern food is soul food.
You see, most soul food originates in the Southern United States. But not all Southern food qualifies as soul food. Simply put, Southern food refers to region-specific cuisine encompassing home-cooked meals, comfort food, and scratch cooking, which is usually (but not always) hearty and flavorful.
In contrast, soul food, particularly when discussing soul food fried chicken, has a distinct approach to seasoning. This dish involves a carefully curated blend of seasonings applied both before the chicken is breaded and within the breading itself. Seasoning fried chicken the soul food way goes well beyond buttermilk, herbs, and a few spices. It requires a thoughtful mix of more than just a handful of seasonings to create its signature bold flavor with every bite.
What is the secret to good fried chicken?
To determine if a batch of fried chicken is an authentic Southern soul food recipe, look for a crunchy, flavorful exterior with juicy, well-seasoned, tender meat inside. The seasoning is what truly makes the difference. This is the hallmark of a Southern fried chicken recipe cherished in Black culture!
When to season fried chicken
In my soul food fried chicken recipe, you’ll start by seasoning the meat with a prepared spice rub before applying the batter. Next, season the flour before using it as the batter to coat the chicken.
Ingredients
This recipe requires a homemade blend of seasonings, including garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili pepper, and an all-purpose mix. Start by evenly coating the chicken with the flavorful seasoning blend.
- Chicken pieces – Preferably bone-in. You can use 6 to 8 pieces or a whole chicken cut into pieces (around 3 pounds in total). Feel free to choose any combination of your favorite chicken parts, such as wings, legs, chicken breasts, thighs, or drumsticks.
- Peanut oil (preferred) or vegetable oil – Peanut oil is often preferred over vegetable oil due to its high smoke point, which enables it to withstand high temperatures without burning. This characteristic allows it to cook chicken quickly without absorbing too much oil, resulting in a thoroughly cooked and crispy fried chicken. While vegetable oil can also be used effectively, peanut oil has a slightly higher smoke point. Still, both oils are acceptable choices for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour – Flour serves as the base for the chicken batter and the foundation for the outer crunch, providing a crispy exterior once fried.
- Southern soul food fried chicken seasoning blend – Use my signature tried-and-true mix of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, red pepper (chili pepper), salt, black pepper, and your favorite poultry or all-purpose seasoning. The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
- Egg – It’s the binding agent for adhering the batter to the chicken.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk is a secret ingredient for successfully making this recipe the Black way! It tenderizes the chicken, ensuring the seasonings get into the meat, resulting in a flavorful and tender interior beneath a crunchy exterior.
Pro tip: You can easily make buttermilk for this recipe at home. Because… let’s keep it real. Buttermilk is not a common pantry ingredient!
To create ½ cup of buttermilk, combine ½ cup of milk with ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. Stir the mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes.
How to make traditional soul food fried chicken
Start by thoroughly coating the chicken with the savory seasoning blend. Next, dredge the seasoned chicken in flour. Finally, frying in hot oil transforms each piece into golden, crispy perfection!
Step-by-step instructions with guided pictures can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Mix seasonings and rub on the chicken pieces.
- Heat the oil in the frying pan.
- Dredge the chicken using my easy 3-step process: coat in the seasoned flour, dip in the buttermilk and egg mix, and finally toss in flour again.
- Fry the chicken in the heated oil in the skillet.
- Drain the chicken after frying in a closed container lined with a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Should you marinate chicken before frying?
Absolutely! You should marinate the meat because it helps to tenderize it, and I’ve simplified the process in this recipe with the buttermilk and egg bath. Used in the dredging process, this mixture will not only tenderize the chicken but also help the flour stick to it and lock in all the flavors from the seasonings.
For an overnight marinade, check out my recipe for marinating fried chicken in buttermilk HERE.
What temperature to fry chicken
To fry chicken, maintain the oil temperature at 350 degrees F. A legacy soul food cooking tip is to test the hot oil by sprinkling a few drops of water into it. Since oil and water do not mix, be cautious and stand back! The hot oil will pop and may splash up at you —an indicator that it’s ready to fry the chicken!
How to know when fried chicken is done
Cook the chicken in a skillet for 10 to 15 minutes on each side until the exterior is golden brown and crispy. Until you know how “done” fried chicken looks, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, indicating it is fully cooked. You can use an instant-read thermometer to check the chicken’s internal temperature and the oil’s temperature.
What to serve with Southern fried chicken
You could lay the crispy chicken on a bed of golden waffles, combining salty and sweet flavors for soul food chicken and waffles!
Another classic option involves surrounding your chicken with traditional soul food sides like baked macaroni and cheese, Southern potato salad, creamy mashed potatoes, Southern coleslaw, baked beans, or collard greens.
Equipment
- Large cast iron skillet 8-10" skillet (cast iron skillet preferred)
- Whisk
- Fried chicken scissor tong
Ingredients
- 6-8 pieces chicken 6-8 pieces of chicken, or one 3-pound chicken cut into pieces
- 48 oz peanut oil or vegetable oil
- 2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¾ teaspoon red pepper (chili pepper)
- 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning or all-purpose seasoning
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 egg
- ½ cup buttermilk ½ cup of buttermilk = ½ cup of milk & ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Mix the poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
- Rub the seasoning mixture all over each piece of chicken.
- Pour the oil into the skillet until it's approximately 1 inch deep or half full.
- Heat the oil over medium heat or until it reaches 350 degrees F.
- While you’re waiting for the oil to heat up, place 1 cup of the divided flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and red pepper in a medium-size mixing bowl or 1-gallon resealable food storage bag.
- Shake (or mix) the sealed bag to combine the ingredients for a homemade poultry seasoning, and set the flour mixture aside.
- Pour the second cup of flour into a second resealable bag (or medium-sized mixing bowl) and set it aside.
- In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg, and set that mixture aside too.
- The chicken will go through a 3-step process from here.
- First, place the chicken in the bag (or bowl) of seasoned flour and shake or toss to coat the chicken evenly.
- Second, shake off the excess flour and dip the chicken into the buttermilk mixture.
- Third, transfer the chicken to the last bag (or bowl) of flour and shake or toss until it’s very well coated.
- Place the coated chicken into the pre-heated oil, skin-side down, and be careful not to overcrowd the chicken in the oil.
- If necessary, you can fry a second batch to avoid overcrowding by cooking all the chicken at once. Just ensure the hot oil stays at 350 degrees F.
- Cook the chicken pieces for 10 to 15 minutes on each side, occasionally flipping them to prevent excessive browning.
- As the chicken turns golden brown and crispy, remove it from the hot oil and place it in a closed container lined with a paper towel to keep it warm and absorb excess oil. (Until you know how “done” fried chicken looks, use an internal meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees F, indicating it is fully cooked.) Then, serve right away, and enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
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Thank you for this recipe!
This is the fried chicken recipe that is “slap your momma” good. This is the way to get it done and done right. You should definitely try it. You won’t regret it.
Yummy! this chicken looks so delicious.
It would be hard to eat only one piece of this delicious looking chicken.
Looks delicious
So easy to make and I love those “set it and forget it” type meals
I’ve used this recipe several times and it never fails❤️