Fried Chicken
Crunchy and golden on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. Fried chicken is the undisputed king of fried food. For the best flavor make fried chicken with bone-in and skin-on chicken pieces. You can of course fry boneless, skinless chicken but it may be prone to drying out.
How to achieve that crispy outside and juicy inside is a matter of opinion. Some people soak the chicken in buttermilk for hours, others do a quick dip in before dredging with flour. Brining for up to 48 hours before is another technique. Yet still another option is a hot sauce marinade the night before. Once you’ve settled on your wet process next is your dry. Again there are debates over seasoning the flour and to double dip or not to double dip? That extra dip into the buttermilk and flour again can make your chicken extra crispy.
When deciding what to serve alongside your ear shatteringly crunchy chicken it’s best to keep it simple so as not to overshadow the main star. Classic sides include biscuits, coleslaw, potato salad, and/or mac’n’cheese. If you’ve already got your oil hot and ready go ahead and try making hush puppies or fried green tomatoes. If you’re looking for a lighter side option watermelon salad or a fresh slaw with your favorite vinaigrette are great choices.
Serve fried chicken with…
Something Fresh
butter beans
green salad
slaw
succotash
watermelon salad
collard greens
wedge salad
tomato & cucumber salad
stuffed tomatoes
Something Creamy
potato salad
macaroni salad
coleslaw
Caesar salad
pimento cheese
Something Starchy
mac’n’cheese
grits
waffles
cornbread
biscuits
mashed potatoes
corn pudding
baked beans
fries
smashed potatoes
potato wedges
Hasselback potatoes
roasted sweet potatoes
Something Fried
hush puppies
fried green tomatoes
fried okra
corn cakes
Something Pickled
green beans
carrots
green tomatoes
avocado