Fuss Free Fried Chicken
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Today I’m going to show you a fuss free way to fry chicken in your oven. No, this isn’t oven fry chicken as most folks think of it, where chicken is baked to resembled being fried. This is a way to actually fry chicken, in oil, in your oven. The beauty of it is that once you get your chicken breaded, it is pretty much a hands off process so rather than watching over a frying pan, you can be free to set the table, pick up the house a bit, or drink a nice glass of iced tea.
Susie Braund, my mother’s friend who is known for her kindness, amazing housekeeping skills, and great food, passed on this cooking method and from the moment Mama told me about it I couldn’t wait to try it. I think you’ll enjoy it too!
P.S. If you’re looking for a great chicken finger recipe that will have teenagers and other assorted children staking out your house for supper, check out my chicken planks recipe by clicking here.
You’ll need: Flour, Oil, Chicken (bone in, skin on), a deep cast iron skillet (a cast iron dutch oven will work), and if you want to season your flour like I did, some ranch dressing mix. Oh, and milk. Pretend there is milk here. I used regular milk but you can use buttermilk, skim milk, whatever you have.
A note on seasoning: All you need to make fried chicken is flour, salt, and pepper. You do not have to use ranch dressing mix to season your flour if you don’t want to. If you’d rather just use plain flour, add about a tablespoon salt and a 1/2 tablespoon of pepper to two cups of flour and stir. That’s all you need. Of course, more or less salt and pepper to suit your taste.
The main purpose of this post is to show you this fuss free method of frying chicken so feel free to use your favorite breading recipe or try mine. I happened to use the ranch dressing mix this time but I usually do it a different way each time, depending on my mood. I am a big fan of garlic powder, paprika, and parsley in my flour along with the salt and pepper.
About Brining:
A lot of recipes will tell you to brine your chicken before you fry it. I don’t for a several reasons.
- I don’t want to.
- I don’t usually plan my meals far enough in advance to.
- I don’t have time. When I’m ready to cook supper, I’m ready right then and I generally don’t lollygag around in the kitchen hours beforehand looking for something to do.
- I can’t stand the thought of wasting buttermilk (what a lot of folks brine it in).
- Granny didn’t do it.
- See #1.
Having said this, if you prefer to brine your chicken I think that is awesome and I salute you. Do it your way – more on doing it your way later in this post 
Before we get started, and this is VERY important, put about a 1/2 inch of oil in the bottom of your skillet and place that in the oven.
Turn the oven on 450 so that the oil is heating up as the oven heats up.
Hot oil is crucial for frying chicken because if your oil is hot enough, it sears the breading as soon as contact is made and creates an instant coating. If your oil isn’t hot enough, your chicken pieces end up soaking up far more oil, ending up with greasy chicken.
Sidenote: Raise your hand if you’ve ever worked at Sears! I sold Hardware for them when I was a teenager.
Oven Temperature: It is important that you know the accurate temperature of your oven for this recipe. Over time, ovens get off and may not be accurate. A way to test this is to buy a simple oven thermometer on the kitchen gadget aisle for a few dollars. Preheat your oven with the thermometer in it and once it is preheated, see if the thermometer and the oven agree on temperature. If not, adjust accordingly. If you are cooking this at 450 and your oven is actually 500, of course it is gonna burn. If you’re cooking this at 450 and your oven is actually 400, it will take a little longer to cook and your chicken may end up a wee bit on the greasy side because your oil isn’t hot enough.
Place your flour in a shallow dish and season it.
I’m using two packages of ranch dressing mix but you can just use salt and pepper if you like. This is totally up to you.
Stir that up.
Pour some milk into your other baking dish and get ready to dredge
Place chicken in milk first…
then breading mixture…
then milk again ….
Then breading mixture.
This double dipping method gets you a lot more deliciousness on your final fried chicken.
You can, of course, just dip it in milk once and breading once if you want.
Again, this is totally up to you. Despite what some folks tell you, there are no rules governing how you want to cook in your own kitchen.
So have fun with it and do it your way!
Here are all of our breaded pieces on a gorgeous restaurantware platter I found at an antique mall.
~waits for you to look at the photo real good~
Y’all like my three legged chicken?
I just did that to mess with y’all but hey, if I didn’t mess with ya, you wouldn’t think I loved ya!
(that’s the excuse my family always gives at least)
Take your hot, hot, hot skillet with the hot, hot, hot oil in it out of the oven and carefully put your chicken pieces in it.
They will begin to bubble and sizzle as soon as they get in there. Try not to let them touch but do what you gotta do. I ended up not being able to fit all of my chicken in this photo so I’m doing two batches.
Place this in the oven for 40 minutes and go do whatever it is you’d rather be doing.
After 40 minutes, carefully remove skillet from oven, turn all of the pieces over, and place it back in the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove chicken to paper towel lined plate.
Now I know some of y’all are looking at that cooking time and thinking “Christy is crazy.” Well of course I’m crazy, but that is besides the point entirely. The chicken you see pictured at the start and finish of this post was cooked at that exact amount of time at 450 and was gooder than gold. That’s a Southern saying. I know that gooder isn’t actually a word although, technically it is since I just said it but still…you get my point.
Enjoy your three legged chicken
Isn’t that a pretty plate of chicken? I’m in love with the platter it’s on, too. That is a pattern from a company called Jackson China and this particular pattern was manufactured for restaurants in the early seventies. So far I’ve been unable to locate any plates that match it so it may have just been serving pieces. Either way, it is sturdy restaurantware that has stood the test of time very well.
Please note: Mama wants me to let you know that I did wash the platter before I put the cooked chicken on it since I used it for the raw chicken as well. Thanks for looking out for us, Mama!
Now y’all get out there and squeeze all the good out of this day!
Ingredients
- 3-4 pounds Bone in, skin on chicken pieces such as breasts, legs, or leg quarters
- Large, Deep cast iron pan
- Oil, for frying (vegetable, corn, or peanut are good choices)
- 2 cups all purpose flour (if you have self rising, that will work just fine, too)
- Seasoning: 1-2 packages Ranch Dressing mix (or 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper in it's place)
Instructions
- Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 - 1/2 of an inch into a deep cast iron frying pan or dutch oven. Place in oven and preheat to 450. It is very important that your skillet be in your oven while it preheats.
- In a shallow dish, stir together flour and seasonings (either ranch dressing mix or salt and pepper, or seasonings of your choice).
- In another shallow baking dish, pour about 1/4 inch of milk.
- Dip each piece in the milk to coat all sides, then into the flour mixture, then milk again, and flour mixture again. Place on platter when done.
- Five minutes after oven is preheated, remove your skillet and carefully, (using tongs) place each piece of chicken in the skillet, positioning so that they don't touch.
- Return to oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, use tongs to flip each piece of chicken over, and return to oven for 15 minutes more.
- Remove to drain onto paper towel lined platter. Enjoy hot or cold.
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“The only limits to the possibilities of my life tomorrow are the ‘buts‘ I use today.”
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Oh my goodness! Guess what? Later on this week (or next if the kids keep me hopping, but soon either way) I’m going to be sharing photos with you from my newly renovated kitchen My daddy got some cabinets out of a house that was remodeling and he put them in this empty corner in my kitchen. All we had to do was buy a piece of countertop to go over it and now I have a whole big new section of cabinets and countertop but the NEATEST part is, we reworked the upper cabinets so that they are actually a display area for pyrex and vintage dishes. It is so beautiful and cheerful and I can’t WAIT to share it with you. I’ve got some minor painting to do first and a few other little details to take care of but I’m just about dying for you to see! I’ll be doing a special pyrex and vintage dish post sometime by the end of next week so stay tuned! I’m going to include tips and tricks for displaying it, too. Just in case anyone would like them.
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Posted by Christy Jordan
on Jan 28 2013. Filed under Chicken.
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Thanks, Christy for another wonderful recipe! I have a ‘nice’ collection of cast iron pieces now and always am keeping my eye open at our local goodwill store. My sister was just talking to me yesterday and she was ‘chewing on her husband’s ear’ again for messing up her cast iron skillet. A few years ago he put it into the dishwasher and she still ‘chews’ on him for that, lol. But a few days ago he messed it up while cooking and she was fussing and fussing over cleaning it and was using a brillo pad on her while we were talking. I screamed and she almost dropped the phone in the dishwater. I told her to throw that dang billo pad away! Lord O’ Mighty! I told her to heat up her burner, put a spoon of shortning in that pan and throw some plain old salt in it, to work that around with her spatula and it will work all those old bits and pieces of burnt food out. To let it cool a bit, scrap it all out and just rinse in hot water and put back on the burner or in the oven to dry. I also gave her another alternative if there was still some bits left in it. Then I told her to HIDE it from her hubby! lol
Oh my goodness, that poor pan! She better be thankful to have such a wonderful sister to keep her straight!
Hello Christy,, update on my sister’s pan: it was saved! lol She did the shortning & salt trick and it worked for her and the pan is ‘hidden’ in the oven (she says he NEVER opens or uses the oven). I was laughing and said, “ummmmm, for now, that is”. She just does not appreciate my sense of humor sometimes, lol.
What was the alternative method?
Hi Cyndi, the ‘alternative method’ would be to add some water to the skillet and heat it up to soften everything, and if that didn’t work to add a cup of coke to it. That is just for some really extreme burnt and stuck on good! But the oil and salt has ALWAYS worked for me, then just wipe that out, rinse and heat to just dry up the water or place in a warm oven upside down to dry.
I never buy chicken with the skin or bones, nor do I fry chicken not because I don’t want it but because I can’t fry chicken it just doesn’t turn out right it taste like my moms or my sister’s no matter what I do it isn’t very good to me. So I quit trying a few years ago. But I think that I have to try this way. A friend of mine tells me that it is just me and that I miss moms cooking and I do miss it. But nobody fried chicken like my mom she always made it for me in my birthday when I was home and when I moved away she always made it when I came home.
I hope it turns out fabulous for you Melanie, I am not sure anything ever turns out as god as a Mama can make it, but I am hoping this comes close.
Yum! This looks really good! I don’t have the cast iron skillet, but I do have the cast iron dutch oven! I was planning on making a roast chicken w/dressing and mashed/gravy this week as well as chicken and dumplings. But I know hubby likes fried chicken, I just hate the mess! I’m pretty sure he will eat chicken 3 times in 7 days though with the varieties! Going to the grocery store tomorrow!
I hope he enjoys it, and I can’t wait to hear what you think of the recipe Sheryle!
i never liked the frying cause of the oil. what do you do with the oil after you use it? some people let it cool , strain it and use it again but storage space is an issue with me. that three legged chicken looks delicious.
I don’t fry often but when I do I like to use the oil twice so I usually try to fry two or three things that week. One day I might make this chicken, then a day or two later, I’ll make fried okra or fried potatoes, and if enough oil is left I’ll use it to make Chicken planks over the weekend. That way I get to reuse it but don’t have to hold onto it for long
Lazy cook that I am, this sounds like a super great way to “fry” chicken. Can’t wait to try it! However, I AM lazy – and I am curious, too. Does this method makes a big spatterly mess in your oven?
It doesn’t splatter at all Gloria!!
P.S. I want to to do that with okra now!
Girl! This is awesome!!! I can’t wait to try it out. I have a smart girlfriend who cooks her FRIED OKRA in the oven using this exact method (cast iron skillet and cooking oil). I usually only fry boneless breasts/cutlets. My family will enjoy having this, they miss my grandmothers stovetop, pan-fried chicken. Love you, your recipes & tips and most of all your stories!
I hope your family enjoys it Ginger!!!
My daughter loves fried chicken and I don’t cook it often enough for her because it is so darn messy! Of course, what I mean by that is that I’M the messy one! LOL Anywho, gonna give this a try and I’d bet you that my daughter will be thanking you!
We love your recipes!
How important is it to use cast iron? I don’t have a deep cast iron pan but I have a big stainless steel dutch oven that does well at high temperatures, & a shallower cast iron skillet. I wonder which would be better?
I love my cast iron cookware!! When I visit our son in NC, we always stop at the Lodge Outlet in Pigeon Forge, TN. They have a fabulous seconds table with various types of cast iron ware from little serving pieces to large woks–it varies depending on what they have. The prices for the seconds are very, very good and well worth a stop if you’re traveling through. I’m going to try this recipe tonight! It’s been a long time since I’ve made fried chicken and I, like many people, am not fond of the mess made by spattering oil on the stove top. I like to add hot chili pepper/cayenne to the flour mixture to give the crust some zip and I leave out the salt entirely due to a low sodium diet. And I did brine it in a cup of buttermilk since the chicken was already in a zip lock and I already had the buttermilk so it will soak while I’m at work!
I made this last night. It was so good!!! Thank you again for sharing Christy.
This recipe came at the most perfect time yesterday because I had thawed chicken thighs and didn’t know how I was going to cook them last night!! I didn’t have the deep cast iron skillet(s), but I DID use two regular depth ones and they worked wonderfully! Thanks for your recipes and ideas, Christy!!! I haven’t attempted to fry much of anything for fear of getting “popped” from the hot oil! LOL This was awesome!
did u cover the pot with a lid could u email me to let me know
Can’t wait to try this!! Have an old Lodge “chicken fryer” like the one you used. Does it have a lid that has little points on the underside? If so, did you use the lid? The person who gave it to me said it was to catch the condensation and keep chicken moist while frying. (?)
Hey! i have the same one but didn’t use the lid making it this way
Thanks for replying. Gonna make tonight!! God Bless!
So, Christy! I have a QUESTION!!!!! I have a freezer full of boneless, skinless chicken breast. I buy it in bulk from Southern Foods (good stuff). I’m wondering if I could do this recipe using that chicken. I sure do hate to go buy some chicken with bones in it when I have a freezer full. Would I just adjust the time? Whatcha think?
I so need to try this! But, about the equipment… I have a regular 12 inch cast iron skillet and I have an enameled cast iron Dutch oven. Will either of those work?
Both will work just fine
Just curious, would this work for fish to?? If so, how would you adjust the cooking time?? Thanks for all your wonderful work Christy! Btw, we say gooder all the time!! LOL
Thank you so much for this great recipe. I made it last night for dinner. It was so good my family stopped talking when they started eating dinner. At my house if it gets quiet during dinner that equals a gold star dinner! I have tried for years to make good fried chicken. Now I can make it just like my Grammy used to make!
Technical stuff-I used an enamel cast iron dutch oven without the lid. No splatter in my oven at all. I used all chicken thighs and cooked them about 30 min then turned them over for about 10 min on side two. They turned out juicy and crunchy. In other words just perfect!
*raises hand* I worked at Sears in the catalog department the summer before my freshman year at college!
Hey Christy! Can’t wait to try this chicken!
Any suggestions on where to locate a good, not-over-the-moon price-wise dutch oven? I need one!
Thanks!
Christy, I have a large family who will only eat the white meat of the chicken so I normally buy bone in skin on split chicken breasts to use in various recipes. The breasts are usually quit large and I know they would never all fit in one cast iron skillet. I have a great collection of cast iron cookware (some of it passed down to me as heirlooms and others I have found/bought along the way). Could I possibly use more than one skillet at a time in the oven? Would I have to adjust the cooking time to take into account of the change in heat dispersal?
I am definitely going to try your recipe, because oven fried sounds like less mess, and I can’t seem to make fried chicken without coating the whole kitchen in a layer of grease! ha ha. Anyway…I LOVE the platter, but have to comment: looking at it makes me feel OLD! Why? you say? Because when you said you found it at an antique mall, and that it was from the early seventies, I thought “oh, Lord…I graduated from HS in 1972…does that make me an antique?” So be it! Some things get better with age….LOL
God bless and keep you for all you do, Pam
Yes, it does, darlin’ I am also. But that’s ok cuz we KNOW more!! Pam K !!
So true, Amanda! But it’s because we HAVE been around the block a few times and can pass on our knowledge, (and what we have learned from our mistakes) to the new generations…INCLUDING fabulous recipes like these! Let’s hear it for the old broads! LOL. Make your day a great one!
Tried this tonight. New spouse of 7 months. I’m sure she’s biased, but she said it was among the moistest fried chicken she’s ever had. I made it in a Dutch oven and kept the lid on while it was frying.
Chicken turned out great. I look forward to making it again, this time with boneless chicken breasts, just to see how it works.
And your photo makes me hungry! I use the ranch seasoning all the time too. Sam’s used to carry Tones brand and it was less expensive in the big bottle. And it seems like when i use King Arthur flour to bread it tastes really good. I have done oven fried pork chops similar to this too. At times some crushed corn flake crumbs. If you have some leftover mashed potatoes, grate a lil onion in them, some shredded cheese and roll in cornflake crumbs to run in the oven as a side dish for your chicken. num num. it is an old recipe from the 50s our Moms used to make. you shape the potato patty in your hand.
that sounds good
I am cooking this RIGHT now and my cast iron is SINGING!! I LOVE that!! Lookin” good so far. Let y’all know how it comes out! Love me some Christy
also making with boneless breasts
I hope you enjoy it Amanda!!!
Ok just turned the chick, looks good
Using cast iron deep chick fryer like Cristy’s and shallow cast iron skillet. Skillet chicken browner than other now.
I think the diff is the depth of the dish you use, just saying.
Can wings be used for this recipe ?? If so, how long to cook them on each side??
I notice a couple of different people have asked you whether it makes a splattery mess in your oven — and glad to hear that it doesn’t! But I was wondering — does it smoke up / smell up your kitchen much? Because I have a very small house, no exhaust fan, and it just wouldn’t work for me to cook something that I had to smell for a couple of days, lol.
It did not smoke at all when I made it.
This looks so delish! Better than getting attacked by the grease monsters in the face when cooked on top of the range.
Do you use the same oil if you cook 2 batches or do you change the oil after the first batch? I can’t wait to try this. My family loves fried chicken but I never make it for the same reasons listed above, messy, oil too hot or not hot enough. Thanks Christy!
I made the oven fried chicken tonight. It was great. So much easier than pan frying the regular way and tastes the same. I used 2 iron skillets in the oven so I could cook it all at one time. Thank you for the great tip.
Christy, this looks terrific! I spent the first 50 years of my life in Western NY, but my folks are from a small town in Pennsylvania near Falls Creek, where Jackson China was made. My mother liked to go to their ‘seconds’ store. I still have a couple of their big oval serving bowls. I’ve lived in Alabama for 5 years now (the southern boy I married 35 years ago wanted to move home, and our kids had already moved to attend Auburn!) While I’ve learned a lot of southern cooking over the years, I can’t pan fry chicken to save my life, and my husband just thinks he knows how
Pulling out the cast iron dutch oven and trying this!
I can’t wait to hear what you think Kerry!!!
Hey Christy. This is a first time post for me. I’m from North Carolina so I was raised on southern cooking. I love your recipes and I am trying your cast iron skillet chicken recipe now. I was wondering how I could order your cookbooks so I would have them handy. I love your post and I find them very inspirational. Keep up the good work.
Hey Sherry!!! I am so glad you decided to comment. I hope you are enjoying the site and the recipes. The best place to get a copy of my cookbook is on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061991015?ie=UTF8&tag=soutplat-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0061991015
My second book will hit the shelves sometime this fall. Thank you so much for all of your support and I look forward to seeing more of you!!
Oh my!! I had a failed attempt at frying chicken 20 yrs ago. Just tried this recipe tonight. It was amazing! This will be the only way we fry chicken. Paired the fried chicken with collards from the garden, red beans (somewhat like your recipe), cornbread and brownies! What a great Sunday dinner. Thank you Christy for helping me fry chicken!!
Oh my goodness, that sounds so good! Now I am starving!! I am so glad to hear that you liked the recipe and it turned out great for you!!
I want to try this using “pounded” boneless, skinless chicken breast, thus “chicken fried chicken.” ( I have a marble rolling pin that I pound the fat end of the chicken breast so that it’s all the same thickness.) I’m thinking the cooking time will be less than with bone-in, correct? Like maybe 30 minutes on the first side, 10 minutes on the second??
Yes Dana, and I might even check it at twenty minutes for the first side
Total cooking time was 25 minutes. 20 on the first side, 5 on the second. Served with mashed potatoes, cream gravy, sweet & sour green beans (from your cookbook) and fresh corn on the cob. Yummmm!!! Thanks so much.
This was amazing Christy!! Thank you! It was me,by the way, that professed my love for your chicken and dumplings at Santa’s Village back in December and it was so nice to meet you and your family!
I made this last night, yes on Valentine’s day, and it completely bombed. I followed the directions to a tee and there wasn’t an ounce of breading left on it when I got done. Most of it came off on the first flip, and by the time I got it out when it was done, the rest of the breading came off. I don’t understand what went wrong. The only thing I think it could be was I was using a medium size skillet and the pieces were really jammed in there.
Ryan, I’m so sorry to hear that! I know that was a disappointment. If the pieces are touching, it does make the breading stick to the other breading rather than the chicken. If you try it again in the same size skillet, I’d do it in batches so they have a little wiggle room.
It works! Next time, I will check it before the 40 minute mark, as it got a little browner than ideal, but it was still good! My husband ate 4 pieces, so it gets a repeat!
I am so glad to hear that you liked it Kerry!!!
Would boneless,skinless chicken breasts work just as well. I would like to try this but can’t stand the skin.
Hi Kathy, you could try it without the skin, it won’t be quite the same but should turn out ok.
Made this for the second time tonight. Used boneless skinless breasts. 30 on one side, 10 after the flip. Turned out great! But I think next time I will do 25/10, to make it more moist, though tonight’s was acceptable. Mother in law liked it, so it was a success!
I am so glad it was a hit Gary!! You know it’s good when it is Mother-In-Law approved!!
I never would have thought it was possible to fry chicken in the oven! And if anyone but you, Christy, would have tried to tell me you could I would have thought they were loons! But here you are – being amazing again!
Yum, I really want to try this recipe soon! I’m also looking very much forward to your Pyrex ware article.
I just finished making your banana pudding. Not only is it delicious, but I laughed through the cooking. you are so funny and light hearted.
I am so glad to hear that you liked it Eileen!!!
I’m in love with my Mother’s gaurdian ware pots and pans. They go from stove top to oven with out a fuss. They evenly distribute the heat and clean up is a breeze.
I’m always looking for easy on my budget and easy on my back kitchen ideas. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe, and I’m hopping on over to Amazon to purchase your old cookbook and put myself on the pre-purchase list for your next one!!!!
I hope you enjoy the recipe Roxanna and thank you so much for your support, I hope you like the cookbook!!
This looks scrumptious, but I do have a question. I’m a bit scared to “fry” with oil in the oven, I’m afraid it will catch on fire. I have never heard of doing this before. I really want to try it though.
I make it this way often and have never had a problem Robin, let me know if you try it.
Can’t wait to try this! Does it matter which side of the chicken is down in the oil for the 40 minutes? I am assuming the skin side down but just want to make sure. I have ruined a lot of chicken trying to fry it.
You would be correct Andria, I hope it turns out great for you!!
THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! Soooooo much for this recipe and your step by step direction. I found this recipe a couple of days ago and knew Mother-in-law was coming over for dinner this weekend. I thought instead of my usually staying up all night to REALLY clean the house. Then go into the kitchen at 6 or 7 a.m to fry chicken. To never coming out of there in till the dinner, and dishes was done. I just go ahead and try this recipe…..I mean what is the worst that can happen?? I went to bed with worries of the house not being clean, and the chicken being burnt. But I had 40 EXTRA MINUTES and another 15 MINUTES. YEA!!!!!! Almost an hour that I NEVER had when I fried it on the stove. Almost AN HOUR!!!!! I had so much time on my hand not only did I clean the house. I was frying chicken in the oven AND making pinto beans, cheesy grits, cornbread, collard greens with ham bone, and cake for dessert. I have NEVER EVER made a HUGE dinner and have my home looking sparkling clean at the same time. My Mother-in-law eyes was filled with shocked and complete surprises. Specially, when she bite into the chicken. She even took a plate home with her, tonight….a first for her. I will NEVER EVER make fried chicken on the stove ever again. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. You have made my life so much easier. THANK YOU!!!!!!
Oh my goodness, I am so glad to hear that this recipe helped make your dinner a success!! I am so glad it turned out great for you AND was Mother-In-Law approved!!