Do not leave the fried chicken on paper towels to drain, place the pieces on a wire rack set over paper towels. As it rests after coming out of the oil, it will continue to cook to the food-safe temperature of 165☏. Your southern fried chicken is finished cooking when a cooking thermometer inserted into the thickest portion of each piece reaches 163☏.

Use a cooking thermometer to determine doneness.You don’t want to drown or fully submerge the chicken 3/4 of the depth of piece should be covered with oil. If you’re using a deep skillet, add enough oil to fill it half way. If using a large Dutch oven, only fill 1/4 full with oil. Remember, you want to fry the chicken, not steam it. Fry and keep it at a continuous 320-325☏. The temperature will drop when chicken goes in. Get the oil temperature up to 350°-375☏ before adding chicken. Cold chicken directly from the refrigerator will drastically reduce the oil temp and it won’t be hot enough to crisp up the chicken.

Allow your chicken to come to room temperature before dropping it into the hot oil.

Flour dredge for chicken