Fried Chicken is a popular recipe that has made it to many recipe books and fast food chains. However, the southerners, especially East Texas residents who are credited with inventing it, have their own spin. This delicious yet spicy invention best served with ranch dressing and other summer favorites like potato salad and coleslaw. So grab some grilled favorites and sweet tea and have a stack of napkins standing by.
Ingredients for Baked Southern Fried Chicken
- 1 /2 gallon real butter milk (or 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and milk)
- 6 pounds chicken quarters
- ½ pound salted crackers
- ¼ cup flour of choice
- 2 cups dried potato flakes or not prepared instant mashed potatoes
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper or 4 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder (not garlic salt)
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 6+ raw eggs
Utensils for Baked Southern Fried Chicken
- Large bowls
- Large plates
- Glass casserole dishes
- Paper towels
- Spatula
- Zipper bag
Instructions for Baked Southern Fried Chicken
- Rinse chicken and pat dry. Place in a large ceramic bowl and generously coat with buttermilk or homemade buttermilk and cover. Place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Right before you are ready to cook the chicken, pull it from the buttermilk and drain by placing the chicken in an elevated colander above the bowl of buttermilk. Dispose of buttermilk or use to make country fried gravy. Do not drink the raw milk.
- In a large gallon zipper bag crunch up crackers and thoroughly mix in remaining dry ingredients. Pour the cracker mixture onto a large plate.
In a medium bowl, whip up the raw eggs until they begin to form froth. - Dip the chicken pieces one at a time in the egg mixture and then gently coat them in the cracker mixture, allowing them to set a few seconds on each side so that the crumbs adhere to the chicken.
- Place the fully coated chicken in a large glass casserole dish. Do not let the piece touch each other.
- Bake in a preheated 450-degree oven until brown and crispy and chicken has reached an internal temperature of 225 degrees. This usually takes 45 to 60 minutes.
- After removing the chicken from the oven place the pans on wire racks and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
- Use a spatula to remove the chicken and place it on plates lined with paper towels to drain any grease.
