Country Fried Chicken and Gravy is a southern comfort food classic! Crispy coated chicken is smothered in a delectable homemade gravy. Easy and delicious!
Preheat oven to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
With your knife parallel to the work surface, cut each chicken breast horizontally, creating 4 pieces. Pound each piece to ¼ to ½-inch thickness if desired.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne together. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg.
1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup cornstarch, 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, 1½ teaspoons ground paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg
Dredge 1 piece of chicken breast in the flour mixture to coat, then dip into the buttermilk mixture, shaking off any excess. Dredge again in the flour to coat and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
Fill a deep cast-iron skillet with 1 inch of cooking oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 350°F. Working in 2 batches, fry the chicken until golden brown, 4-5 minutes per side. Transfer it to the prepared baking sheet and keep it warm in the oven until ready to serve.
vegetable oil
To make the gravy, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking continuously, until light brown, about 2 minutes. Pour in the milk in a steady stream while whisking constantly. Add kosher salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Cook at a simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1½ cups whole milk, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Serve the fried chicken topped with the gravy.
Notes
Pat the chicken breasts dry before dredging to ensure all of the residual juices from the packaging have been removed. This will help the breading stick better.
To prevent splatters, fry the chicken in a Dutch oven instead of a cast iron skillet.
You can use residual cooking oil to make the gravy instead of butter.
Be sure to cook the flour until it no longer smells like raw flour. Undercooked flour makes for an unpleasant tasting gravy.
Storage: Store country fried chicken and gravy in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Store chicken and gravy separately for best results.