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Fried Chicken | Traditional Fried Chicken Dish From Southern United States, United States of America | TasteAtlas
Fried Chicken | Traditional Fried Chicken Dish From Southern United States, United States of America | TasteAtlas
Fried Chicken | Traditional Fried Chicken Dish From Southern United States, United States of America | TasteAtlas
Fried Chicken | Traditional Fried Chicken Dish From Southern United States, United States of America | TasteAtlas

Fried Chicken

(Southern Fried Chicken)

The most popular food of the Southern cuisine, fried chicken is the theme of many arguments where everyone involved seems to have a favorite, be it what their mothers used to make, a cult roadside eatery, or a bygone restaurant. However, it is universally agreed that the meat must be moist, succulent, and tender, coated with a crunchy, golden-brown crust.


It all started during the colonization period, when Scottish immigrants settled in the South, bringing their fried chicken recipes along. The African slaves then introduced new seasonings and spices, and the dish quickly gained popularity. Typical seasonings include salt, pepper, and hot chiles, and the pieces of meat should be edible by hand so that the consumer can bite both the crust and the meat at the same time.


The birds must be fresh and smaller in size, as the meat will be much more tender and the proportion of crust to meat will be perfectly balanced. Once the chicken parts are hot, crispy, and ready to be consumed, they are traditionally accompanied by buttered biscuits, Southern potato salad, mashed potatoes, or cream gravy on the side.

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Recipe variations

  • 4.6

    Fried Chicken

    READY IN 2h

    The following recipe is adapted from the All recipes website (www.allrecipes.com). If you wish, skin the chicken pieces before coating them. It is very important that the coated pieces rest long enough for the flour to acquire a paste-like consistency. Take the resting time into account when planning. 

  • 4.5

    Buttermilk Fried Chicken

    READY IN 1h 45min

    The following recipe is adapted from the New York Times Cooking website (www.cooking.nytimes.com). If desired, add a bit of hot sauce to the marinade or some paprika or cayenne pepper to the dredge mixture. If you fry the chicken directly from the refrigerator, it will take longer to cook, as opposed to letting it come to room temperature before frying. Be mindful of the color when frying the chicken – get it out when the pieces are golden brown. Take the marinating time into account when planning. 

  • 4.4

    Maryland Fried Chicken

    READY IN 2h 50min

    A variation on the classic Southern dish, this Maryland fried chicken recipe is adapted from The Kitchen Witch blog (www.thekitchenwitchblog.com). If Old Bay seasoning isn't available to you, try to imitate it using a mixture of celery salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and paprika. Take the resting time into account when planning. 

  • 4.6

    Popcorn Chicken

    READY IN 1h 25min

    The following recipe is adapted from the Don't go bacon my heart website (www.dontgobaconmyheart.co.uk) and features a simple appetizer or finger food version of fried chicken. Take the marinating time into account when planning. 

  • 3.7

    McDonald's-style Chicken Nuggets

    READY IN 1h

    The following recipe will help you recreate chicken nuggets as they are prepared by McDonald's — the meat is ground into a paste and double-coated in flour. It also details how to prepare the sauces for dipping, honey mustard, and spicy honey mustard.

  • 3.8

    Quick Chicken Nuggets

    READY IN 25min

    The following is a recipe for a quick and easy version of chicken nuggets. The chicken breasts are cut into bite-sized pieces, then dipped in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs. You can prepare the nuggets in under half an hour, and it serves four. If desired, serve them with a dipping sauce of your choice.

  • 3.8

    Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Nuggets

    READY IN 30min

    The following is a recipe for quick-to-prepare, oven-baked chicken nuggets, perfect if you're looking for a healthy alternative to traditional nuggets. The meat is combined with seasonings and ground until it turns into a paste, then shaped into nuggets, which are dipped into a mixture of breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese. If desired, you can freeze the prepared nuggets until you want to bake them. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.

  • 4.4

    The Original Buffalo Wings

    READY IN 50min

    The authentic Buffalo wings recipe, adapted from anchorbar.com, the official website of Anchor Bar where Buffalo wings were first served, suggests either frying the chicken wings in oil or baking them in the oven. The ingredients of signature Frank&Teressa's Original Sauce remain a secret; however, the sauce can be purchased at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.

  • 4.4

    Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wings

    READY IN 40min

    The most popular store-bought substitute for the original Anchor Bar’s Buffalo wings sauce is Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. This recipe was adapted from franksredhot.com, and suggests mixing the sauce with melted butter, while the wings can be baked, deep-fried, broiled or grilled.

  • 4.5

    Breaded Buffalo Wings

    READY IN 8h 50min

    This Buffalo wings recipe twists the traditional recipe — it suggests coating the chicken wings in flour and baking them in the oven. The sauce is based on store-bought Louisiana Hot Sauce (known under its brand name, Frank’s RedHot Sauce), while the blue cheese dressing can be prepared a day in advance, as it needs lots of refrigeration time.

Fried Chicken Authentic recipe

PREP 15min
COOK 45min
RESTING  1h
READY IN 2h

The following recipe is adapted from the All recipes website (www.allrecipes.com). If you wish, skin the chicken pieces before coating them. It is very important that the coated pieces rest long enough for the flour to acquire a paste-like consistency. Take the resting time into account when planning. 

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Ratings