Description
This crispy fried chicken breast recipe delivers juicy, golden perfection every time. With pantry ingredients and simple steps, you’ll make restaurant-quality fried chicken at home—no deep fryer needed.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Oil for frying (canola, vegetable, or peanut)
Instructions
- Pound chicken breasts to even ½-inch thickness.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs and buttermilk together.
- In a second bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and all seasonings.
- Dip chicken first in dry flour mix, then in egg mixture, then again in flour.
- Let coated chicken rest on a rack for 10–15 minutes.
- Heat ½ inch of oil in a heavy skillet to 350–365°F.
- Fry chicken breasts 3–5 minutes per side, until golden brown and internal temp reaches 165°F.
- Transfer to a rack to cool and crisp for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- For extra juiciness, dry-brine your chicken with salt for 30 minutes before breading.
- Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature for consistent frying.
- Letting the coated chicken rest before frying helps the crust stay on.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Pan Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken breast
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 1g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 180mg