Growing up, whenever we visited my Grandmother Louise and Aunt Mary Guy in Jackson, Mississippi, my Great-Aunt Nonnie would make, after much begging from my sister and me, a batch of her wonderful fried chicken. It is the bar by which I judge all fried chicken to this day (even after trying Edible Tulsa Editor Valarie Carter’s brined and fried chicken legs—which are amazing!). Nonnie gave me a handwritten recipe book as a wedding present. The heartfelt gift includes, among its many delicious Southern treats, her infamous fried chicken recipe. I was reluctant to share the recipe and would rather just keep it in the family, but I feel I would be doing all of you a disservice ... try it and I think you’ll agree. While this is best served hot out of the fryer, it reheats well in a warm oven. I love to eat leftovers straight from the fridge the next day!
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4-8 Serving(s)
- 1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces (if the breasts are large feel free to cut them in half, for 10 pieces total)
- A few cups buttermilk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- Coarse salt and pepper to taste
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Instructions
Place chicken in a large ziptop bag and add buttermilk to cover. Let soak a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Heat a few inches of oil in a large, deep frying pan or deep fryer to 350°. Place flour in a large bowl or another large ziptop bag and season generously with salt and pepper. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drain off, and add to flour, tossing to coat well. Fry chicken in batches until golden brown and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes per piece.
* For added kick, add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to the flour mixture, and feel free to spice up the flour with your favorite herbs and spices—I like to add garlic powder and smoked paprika. For an amazing brunch, serve chicken with homemade waffles and maple syrup.
