Johnson's Crispy Southern Fried Chicken

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-04 · Updated 2026-04-04

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

A golden, crunchy fried chicken dish with buttermilk marinade and Southern spice blend. This Southern-inspired chicken recipe, ready in about 60 minutes, pairs chicken thighs, buttermilk, all-purpose flour for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 30 min Cook: 30 min Serves 4 Southern cuisine 420 cal/serving

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Ingredients

1 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 cups vegetable oil

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Instructions

Step 1: In a bowl, mix buttermilk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add chicken thighs, ensuring full coverage, and marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Step 2: In a shallow dish, combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, remaining 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Pat chicken dry with paper towels, then dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere.
Step 3: Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches for 12-14 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F, turning once halfway through.