Copycat Cracker Barrel Fried Chicken
Tender inside and crispy outside, this copycat Cracker Barrel Fried Chicken is easy to make with simple ingredients! Any home chef can easily whip up a perfect batch of golden brown Southern fried chicken.
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This amazing fried chicken tastes like it came right off the Cracker Barrel menu! Perfectly seasoned and fried, the whole family will love the tender and juicy goodness of this classic dish.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: ~Copycat Cracker Barrel Southern Fried Chicken
- ⏱️ Ready In: ~3 hours
- 👨👩👧👦 Serves: ~8 servings
- 🍽️ Calories: ~553 per serving (estimated)
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: ~chicken, buttermilk, flour, egg aseasonings, oil
- 👌 Difficulty: ~Easy
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Why this Recipe Works
Craving fried chicken? Don't bother going out and spending an arm and a leg to eat at a restaurant--you can deep fry chicken in your own kitchen!
Thanks to a simple brine and an easy but flavorful coating, this chicken comes together without stress and results in delicious, restaurant-quality food every time. You'll love the juicy, tender interior paired with the crispy and golden brown exterior.
Can't get enough copycat recipes? Try my Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken and serve these Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes for dessert!
Ingredients Needed
- Chicken: Feel free to use your choice of chicken parts, but I like to fry a variety of chicken breast, wings, and drumsticks.
- Buttermilk: Helps to tenderize and make the chicken juicy.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and paprika are all you'll need to add flavor to the crispy exterior.
- All Purpose Flour: Coats the chicken and ensures that it ends up golden brown and crispy.
- Frying Oil: I typically go for vegetable oil or canola oil, but any oil that has a high smoke point works well for deep frying.
How to Make this Cracker Barrel Fried Chicken
- Step 1: Combine buttermilk with water, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Place the chicken in a large bowl and cover with the buttermilk mixture. Rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours (overnight is even better).
- Step 3: When it's time to fry the chicken, in a separate large mixing bowl combine flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
- Step 4: Take the brined chicken and coat is well in the flour mixture.
- Step 5: Once the chicken is breaded, whisk the egg into the buttermilk mixture.
- Step 6: Coat the chicken pieces in the egg and buttermilk.
- Step 7: Re-coat in the flour mixture.
- Step 8: Heat oil up to 350 degrees F.
- Step 9: Place the chicken in the oil and cook for 12 to 20 minutes, depending on the size and type of each piece. You may need to work in small batches.
- Step 10: Allow fried chicken to drain slightly on a wire rack, then serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Serve this fried chicken with classic sides like buttermilk biscuits, corn muffins, mashed potatoes, green beans, or steamed corn.
- Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest part of each piece of chicken for an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F to ensure everything is properly cooked.
- The temperature of the oil is also important. Too hot and your chicken will be burnt on the outside and underdone inside, but if it's not hot enough the chicken will end up greasy and soggy.
- Allow the chicken to soak in the buttermilk for as long as possible to ensure tender, juicy chicken with lots of flavor.
- Crowding the fryer with chicken may result in uneven cooking, so work in smaller batches.
Recipe FAQ's
Cracker Barrel uses a classic Southern preparation that involves a buttermilk brine, which tenderizes the chicken and adds a richness that pairs well with the seasoning blend.
There are a few steps that are important for good homemade fried chicken. The brining step adds flavor and tenderness, using the right ingredients for the breading ensures the perfect fry, and bringing the oil to the correct temperature ensures you don't end up with burnt or soggy chicken.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
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Copycat Cracker Barrel Southern Fried Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups buttermilk
- ½ cup water
- 8 chicken parts including bone-in thighs wings, breasts and drumsticks.
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 3 teaspoons black pepper divided
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- Vegetable or Canola Oil for Frying approximately 8 cups
Instructions
- Add the water to the buttermilk as well as 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk together gently to combine and set aside.
- Place the chicken pieces into a large mixing bowl, then pour the seasoned buttermilk, coating all the pieces. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet, this will be used to hold the dipped chicken pieces.
- In a large bowl mix the flour, remaining 2 teaspoons kosher salt, remaining 2 teaspoons black pepper and paprika together. Whisk together and bread the chicken.
- Dip each piece of soaked chicken into the flour mixture, shake off the excess and set on the prepared rack. Don’t toss the buttermilk.
- Mix the beaten egg into the buttermilk then re-dip each breaded piece of chicken into the buttermilk then re-coat in the flour mixture. Place back on the cooling rack and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Pre-heat about 4 inches of oil in a large cast iron pot or dutch oven pot over medium high heat to 350 degrees. You can use a deep fryer as well.
- When the oil has reached 350 degrees F in temperature, add the chicken in batches.
- Cooking time for chicken breast will take about 15-20 minutes.
- Cooking time for thighs, legs and wings will take about 12-18 minutes.
- Verify cooked pieces by using a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the piece, it should reach 165 degrees. Set aside on another rack while you cook the rest of the pieces, you can also place the chicken in a 200 degree oven to keep it warm, if you desire.
- Serve warm with your favorite sides including mashed potatoes, fresh steamed corn and biscuits.
Notes
- You can cut up a whole chicken, or use any chicken parts you prefer. I just recommend using bone in chicken for the best results.
- Soaking the chicken in buttermilk (at least 2 hours, or overnight is even better) tenderizes the meat and helps the coating stick.
- Keep oil between 325–350°F.
Too hot = burned outside, raw inside.
Too cool = greasy chicken. - Fry in batches. Crowding drops the oil temp and leads to soggy coating.
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
