Table of Contents
Here is a short video explaining the process, scroll down for detailed ingredients and step by step recipe method. Thanks for coming and do not forget to check other recipes on our homepage.
Ingredients (Exact Amounts)
This recipe makes about 8 pieces of chicken and serves 4 people. Split it across the brine, the dry coating, and the wet dip so nothing gets mixed up while you are cooking.
For the Brine
- 8 chicken pieces (mix of thighs and drumsticks, bone-in and skin-on)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For the Dry Coating
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For the Wet Dip
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup cold water
For Frying
- Vegetable oil or peanut oil, enough for deep frying (about 6 to 8 cups depending on your pot size)
Choosing the Right Cut of Chicken
Bone-in, skin-on thighs and drumsticks work best for this recipe because the bone helps keep the meat juicy during the long fry time, and the skin is what turns wonderfully crisp once it hits the hot oil. If you only have chicken breast on hand, cut it into smaller pieces so it cooks through at roughly the same speed as the darker meat, otherwise you risk ending up with dry breast meat sitting next to perfectly cooked thighs.
Why the Buttermilk Brine Matters
The buttermilk brine is doing two jobs at once here, tenderizing the meat through its natural acidity and carrying the salt and hot sauce deep into the chicken rather than just sitting on the surface. Skipping this step or rushing it is one of the biggest reasons homemade fried chicken ends up bland or tough, so treat the brining time as a non-negotiable part of the recipe rather than an optional extra.
Step by Step Recipe Method
Read through every step once before you start, since fried chicken moves fast once the oil is hot and you do not want to be searching for ingredients mid-fry.
Step 1: Brine the Chicken
In a large bowl or a resealable bag, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper until fully combined. Add the chicken pieces and make sure every piece is fully submerged in the buttermilk mixture, pressing out any air if you are using a bag. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though leaving it overnight for a full 12 hours will give you the most tender, flavourful result, much closer to the long brine time used by the restaurant itself.
Step 2: Prepare the Dry Coating and Wet Dip
In a large shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, seasoned salt, garlic powder, onion powder, white pepper, baking powder, and cayenne pepper until evenly mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and cold water together until smooth. Keep both of these stations right next to each other along with a tray for the coated chicken, so your breading process stays organised and mess-free.
Step 3: Double Dredge the Chicken
Remove one piece of chicken from the buttermilk brine, letting the excess drip off, and press it firmly into the dry flour mixture, coating it completely on all sides. Dip the floured chicken into the egg wash, then immediately press it back into the dry flour mixture a second time, really pressing the flour into the skin to build up those craggy, crispy bits that make Church’s Chicken so recognisable. Place the double-coated piece on a wire rack and repeat with the remaining chicken.
Step 4: Let the Coating Rest
Once all the chicken is coated, let it sit on the wire rack at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before frying. This resting time allows the coating to properly adhere to the chicken, which stops it from sliding off or looking patchy once it hits the hot oil, and it is a step a lot of home cooks skip by accident.
Step 5: Heat the Oil
Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot or a deep fryer until it is about 3 inches deep, and heat it to 325°F, checking the temperature with a deep fry or candy thermometer since guessing the heat is the most common reason fried chicken turns out either greasy or burnt. Keeping the oil at a steady, moderate temperature is what allows the chicken to cook through fully while the outside turns golden and crisp rather than browning too fast on the outside.
Step 6: Fry the Chicken
Carefully lower 3 to 4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil at a time, being careful not to overcrowd the pot since that drops the oil temperature and leads to soggy, unevenly cooked chicken. Fry for about 12 to 15 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally with tongs, until the coating is a deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F when checked at the thickest part near the bone. Remove the chicken with tongs or a slotted spoon and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain, rather than on paper towels, which can make the bottom of the crust go soft.
Step 7: Rest Before Serving
Let the fried chicken rest for about 5 minutes before serving, since this short rest allows the juices inside to settle and keeps that crispy coating from steaming itself soft. Serve it hot alongside classic sides like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, or homemade biscuits for the full fast food style meal at home.
Variations in the Recipe
Once you have the base method down, these variations let you switch things up depending on what you are craving or how you want to cook it.
Spicy Church’s Style Chicken
For the spicy version, add 2 extra tablespoons of cayenne pepper to the dry coating mixture and increase the hot sauce in the brine to 3 tablespoons instead of 1. This gives you a fried chicken with real heat built into both the meat and the crust, closer to the spicy version many fans of the original chain order specifically for that peppery kick.
Air Fryer Church’s Chicken
If you want a lighter version, coat the chicken exactly the same way through Step 4, then lightly spray each piece with cooking oil before placing it in a single layer in your air fryer basket. Cook at 375°F for about 22 to 25 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the coating is crisp and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. It will not have quite the same deep fried crunch, but it comes impressively close with a fraction of the oil.
Boneless Tender Version
For a quicker, kid-friendly version, cut boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts into large tender-sized strips and follow the same brine, dredge, and fry method, reducing the fry time to about 6 to 8 minutes since boneless pieces cook much faster than bone-in cuts. This version is great for dipping in honey mustard or a spicy mayo, and it also works well as a base for chicken sandwiches.
Mistakes to Avoid
Fried chicken has a few common failure points, and knowing them ahead of time will save you from a greasy or unevenly cooked batch.
Frying at the Wrong Temperature
Oil that is too hot will burn the coating before the chicken cooks through, while oil that is too cool will seep into the coating and leave you with greasy, soggy chicken instead of a crisp crust. Always use a thermometer to keep the oil steady around 325°F, and let it come back up to temperature between batches before adding more chicken.
Skipping the Double Dredge
A single coat of flour tends to produce a thin, smooth crust that lacks the craggy texture Church’s Chicken is known for. Pressing the chicken back into the flour a second time after the egg wash is what builds up those extra crispy bits and ridges, so do not skip this step even though it adds a couple of extra minutes to your prep.
Overcrowding the Frying Pot
Adding too many pieces of chicken to the pot at once drops the oil temperature significantly and causes the chicken to steam rather than fry, leaving you with pale, soft skin instead of a golden crust. Fry in small batches of 3 to 4 pieces, giving the oil time to recover its temperature between rounds, even if it means the whole process takes a little longer.
Not Brining Long Enough
Rushing the buttermilk brine or skipping it entirely is one of the most common shortcuts that leads to bland, less juicy chicken. Give the chicken at least 4 hours in the brine, and plan ahead for an overnight soak whenever you can, since that extra time makes a real difference in both flavour and tenderness.
Conclusion & FAQs
Getting that fast food style crunch at home really comes down to three things, a proper buttermilk brine, a well-seasoned double dredge, and frying at a steady temperature. Once you have those basics down, you can adjust the spice level, swap the cut of chicken, or even move to the air fryer depending on what you are in the mood for. Give yourself time for the brine, be patient with the frying process, and you will end up with fried chicken that easily rivals a trip to the drive-through.
Is this the official Church’s Chicken recipe?
No, this is a homemade copycat recipe built to capture a similar flavour and crispy texture to the original, not the restaurant’s actual recipe. It has been developed and tested independently to get as close as possible to that same crunchy, juicy fried chicken experience at home.
Can I make this chicken ahead of time?
Fried chicken is best enjoyed fresh, but you can store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. To reheat and bring back some of the crispiness, warm the pieces in a 375°F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes rather than using the microwave, which will leave the coating soft.
What oil is best for frying this chicken?
Vegetable oil, canola oil, and peanut oil all work well here since they have a high smoke point and a neutral flavour that lets the seasoning in the coating stand out. Avoid oils with a strong flavour of their own, like olive oil, since they can compete with the seasoned crust instead of complementing it.
Why is my fried chicken coating falling off?
Coating usually falls off when the chicken is not properly dried after brining, or when it goes straight into the fryer without resting after breading. Letting the coated chicken rest on a wire rack for 15 to 20 minutes before frying, as mentioned in Step 4, gives the flour time to bond properly to the chicken so it stays put once it hits the hot oil.