CindyD's Somewhat Southern Fried Chicken

4.4
(54)

This is how I fry chicken. This recipe shows the ability of Americans in the 21st century to easily obtain food. I was raised by a woman whose grandparents survived the War Between the States and who had lived through both WWII and the Great Depression. She NEVER used an egg to batter anything — they couldn't afford it then. She coated her chicken with only seasoned flour. The secret to really good fried chicken is to handle as little in the pan as possible and only turn it once.

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Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
4
Yield:
4 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tablespoon rubbed sage

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • ½ teaspoon onion powder

  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

  • 2 cups vegetable oil for frying, or as needed

  • 4 chicken leg quarters, cut into thighs and drumsticks

Directions

  1. Beat the eggs thoroughly in a shallow bowl. Sift together the flour, sage, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder in a bowl to combine.

  2. Heat the vegetable oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Oil should be about 2 inches deep. Dip chicken pieces into the beaten egg, then dredge in the seasoned flour to thoroughly coat.

  3. Fry chicken in the hot oil until golden brown on the first side, about 10 minutes; reduce heat to medium, and fry chicken on second side until golden brown and the meat is no longer pink inside, about 20 more minutes. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Cook’s Note

This recipe yields two pieces of chicken per person for my family of three, plus two pieces of chicken for my husband the next day for lunch at work. Obviously it would be possible to expand the number of servings easily.

I carefully sift the flour after using it for dredging to remove any particles of egg or chicken. I then use it to make milk gravy to go with the chicken and potatoes, or save it for other uses.

Editor's Note

The nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of the seasoned flour; the actual amount consumed will vary. We have determined the nutritional value of oil for frying based on a retention value of 10% after cooking. The exact amount will also vary.

183 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

661 Calories
35g Fat
37g Carbs
48g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 4
Calories 661
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 35g 44%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 233mg 78%
Sodium 750mg 33%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 48g 95%
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 51mg 4%
Iron 5mg 28%
Potassium 444mg 9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.