Go Back
–+ servings
Square image close up of fried chicken stacked on top of one another.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Grandma's Fried Chicken Recipe

With simple ingredients and a unique method, Grandma's Fried Chicken Recipe is an old-school dish that has been passed down from generation to generation. Super tasty, easy and one you'll want to keep on the menu rotation.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time16 minutes
Total Time26 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 321kcal
Author: Tornadough Alli

Ingredients

  • 8 pieces chicken breasts split down the middle
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ cups water more or less
  • Kosher salt to taste
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottom skillet to 375°F. The oil needs to be about 3-inches up the side of the pan.
  • Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, black pepper, and onion powder, toss to coat the chicken in the spices.
  • In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the chicken bowl and toss to coat the chicken.
  • Start adding the water to the bowl about 1 and 1/4 cup, stirring as you do, it is easier to use your hands for this. You want the batter to be a little thinner than pancake batter. Add in more of the water if needed.
  • Once the oil is hot, gently add a few pieces of the chicken into the pan, not touching, you do not want to crowd the pan. Make sure the chicken is coated in a thin layer of the batter before placing it into the oil.
  • Add the lid on the skillet and cook for 7 minutes, flip the chicken, and cook an additional 7-9 minutes until an internal temperature reaches 165°F. How big the chicken pieces are depends on how long they have to cook.
  • Drain the chicken on a wire rack over a sheet tray to catch any drips. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

Notes

  1. You can replace all-purpose flour with self rising, keep the baking soda and powder in the recipe.
  2. You can use any piece of chicken that you'd like.
  3. We remove the skin from all pieces of chicken besides the wings.
  4. We do not recommend freezing this recipe.
  5. Placing the lid on the skillet will help the chicken to cook faster and I believe helps the batter puff up to crisp. However, it can be a little dangerous because the condensation from the lid, when you take it off, can drip back into the oil and cause splatters. So, I just make sure to have an extra clean kitchen towel or paper towels nearby, so when I take the top off I do it really quick so no drips of water can reach the oil, then I wipe off the excess water from the lid with the towel/paper towels.
  6. Easily double this recipe to make more, you will have to cook in batches.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 553mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3mg