Believe it or not, my recipe is from the Foxworthy Down Home Cookbook by the comedian Jeff Foxworthy and his dad. I borrowed the book from the library because my husband is a fan, and thought it might be funny... but the recipes are really good! I always wanted to make fried chicken but this was the first recipe I ever read that didn't seem too complicated. BTW, there was also a recipe for mashed potatoes, the best I've ever made, (not to mention the first time they turned out right!) Let me know if you're interested in that recipe...

FRIED CHICKEN

1 chicken, cut into serving pieces
2 quarts salty water or buttermilk to cover chicken completely (add 2 Tbsp. salt to water)
1 cup flour
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 quart oil (or enough for 1 inch in fryer)

Soak chicken in salt water or buttermilk in refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight (this tenderizes the chicken - I just used the salt water and it worked fine).

Remove chicken from liquid and pat dry with paper towels (The wetter the chicken, the thicker the coating).

Put flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag; add a few chicken pieces at a time, and shake until coated.

Fill a large, heavy pan with 1 inch of oil and heat to medium-high. Add chicken but do not crowd. Cook uncovered for 7 minutes or until well-browned. Turn chicken over and cook for 5 more minutes or until browned on other side. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 30-40 minutes. Uncover and cook on medium-high 10 minutes to crisp. Remove chicken from pan and drain on paper towels.

NOTES:
If you're interested in different flavorings, just add paprika, garlic powder or some other spice to the flour mixture.

A word of warning - unplug the smoke detector when cooking this (just make sure you plug it back in):-) and be prepared for a BIG cleanup job when you're finished! But yes, it is worth it!

---

MORE RECIPES:

Fried Chicken Recipes

Recipes Using Chicken AND Buttermilk

All Chicken Recipes