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Chicken Fried Chicken with White Country Gravy: A Crispy Southern Comfort Food Recipe

Chicken Fried Chicken with White Country Gravy is a classic comfort-food dish made with tender chicken breasts coated in seasoned flour, fried until golden and crispy, then covered with creamy peppery gravy. It has the same cozy style as chicken fried steak, but instead of beef, it uses chicken.

The best version has three important parts: juicy chicken, a crunchy seasoned crust, and smooth homemade gravy made from the flavorful pan drippings. This dish is rich, hearty, and perfect for dinner with mashed potatoes, biscuits, green beans, corn, or coleslaw.

What Makes Chicken Fried Chicken Special?

Chicken fried chicken is not the same as regular fried chicken. Regular fried chicken is often made with bone-in pieces, while chicken fried chicken usually uses boneless chicken breasts that are flattened. This helps the chicken cook quickly and evenly.

The coating is also important. The chicken is dipped in seasoned flour, then buttermilk, then flour again. This double coating creates a thick, crispy crust that holds the white country gravy beautifully.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
½ teaspoon dried thyme or poultry seasoning, optional
Vegetable oil, for frying

For the White Country Gravy

¼ cup pan drippings or butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 ½ cups whole milk
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder, optional
¼ teaspoon onion powder, optional

Step 1: Prepare the Chicken

Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. If they are very thick, slice them horizontally or pound them with a meat mallet until they are about ½ inch thick.

Flattening the chicken helps it cook evenly and stay tender. If the pieces are too thick, the outside may brown before the inside is fully cooked.

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. This helps the coating stick better.

Step 2: Season the Flour

In a wide shallow bowl, add the flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, and dried thyme if using.

Mix well so the seasoning is evenly spread through the flour.

This seasoned flour is what gives the crust its flavor, so do not leave it plain.

Step 3: Make the Buttermilk Mixture

In another shallow bowl, whisk the buttermilk and eggs together until smooth.

The buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken and gives the coating a slightly tangy flavor. The eggs help the flour stick and create a thicker crust.

Step 4: Coat the Chicken

Take one piece of chicken and place it into the seasoned flour. Coat both sides well, then shake off the extra flour.

Next, dip the chicken into the buttermilk and egg mixture. Let the excess drip off.

Then place the chicken back into the flour mixture. Press the flour firmly onto both sides of the chicken.

This second flour coating is what creates the crispy, craggy crust. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

Place the coated chicken on a plate or wire rack and let it rest for 10 minutes before frying. This helps the coating stick better during cooking.

Step 5: Heat the Oil

Pour about ½ inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet. Cast iron works very well because it holds heat evenly.

Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches about 350°F / 175°C.

If you do not have a thermometer, drop a small pinch of flour into the oil. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready. If it browns too fast, the oil is too hot.