Fried chicken is a staple of Southern comfort food, tracing its roots to Scottish frying techniques and African enslaved cooks who added seasonings and buttermilk brines. Over time it became a symbol of hospitality and communal meals across the United States.

In the South, chicken is often brined in buttermilk and seasoned with pepper and spices. Nashville hot chicken adds a cayenne‑based coating, while Korean fried chicken uses a double‑fry method and sweet‑spicy glaze. Each region tweaks the seasoning, batter, and frying technique.

It is typically served hot with sides like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits, and sweet tea. The chicken is often presented on a platter with the skin side up to showcase its golden, crunchy crust.

Fried chicken appears at family gatherings, church picnics, holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas, and casual backyard barbecues. Its hearty nature makes it a centerpiece for celebrations and comfort meals alike.

The recipe combines a buttermilk brine for moisture, a spice‑rich flour coating with craggy bits, and a single‑batch frying method that uses a lid to trap heat, delivering a consistently juicy interior and an ultra‑crunchy, noisy crust.

Common errors include not brining long enough, using oil that’s not hot enough, shaking off the coating before it sets, and overcrowding the pot which drops oil temperature. Following the brine time, maintaining 350°F, and refrigerating the coated chicken are key.

Covering the pot creates an oven‑like environment that cooks the meat through evenly while still allowing the crust to set. It also reduces oil splatter and lets you use less oil than a typical deep‑fry batch.

Yes. Brine the chicken up to 24 hours in advance, and you can coat and refrigerate it for up to 2 hours before frying. After cooking, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat in a 350°F oven to retain crispness.

The crust should be deep golden‑brown with a noisy, crunchy sound when tapped. The meat should be juicy, and a thermometer should read 160°F in the breast and 175°F in the thigh.

America's Test Kitchen creates rigorously tested, science‑based recipes and cooking tutorials that focus on reproducible results, detailed technique explanations, and thorough equipment reviews for home cooks.

America's Test Kitchen emphasizes precise measurements, controlled brining times, and a single‑batch frying method with a lid to ensure consistent results, whereas many channels rely on intuition or larger oil volumes without detailed temperature control.