Ever stood at a restaurant menu wondering what exactly makes chicken “country fried”? You’re not alone! This beloved Southern dish often gets confused with its cousin, chicken fried steak, but they’re actually different culinary creations with their own unique preparations and flavors.
As someone who’s spent years exploring Southern cuisine, I’ve come to appreciate the subtle distinctions that make country fried chicken such a special comfort food. Let’s dive into what makes this dish unique, its fascinating history, and how you can create this Southern classic in your own kitchen.
The Basics: What Makes Chicken “Country Fried”?
Country fried chicken is a traditional Southern dish where chicken (typically boneless breasts) is coated in seasoned flour and pan-fried until golden brown, then served with a rich brown gravy. The technique creates a lighter, less crunchy coating than what you might be familiar with in regular fried chicken.
The key characteristics of country fried chicken include:
- A simple flour coating (often without egg)
- Pan-frying rather than deep frying
- Serving with brown gravy
- Often made with boneless cuts of chicken
What makes it special is the combination of tender meat crispy-yet-light exterior and that delicious gravy that brings everything together.
Country Fried vs. Chicken Fried: The Great Southern Debate
One of the biggest sources of confusion is the difference between “country fried” and “chicken fried.” While some Southerners use these terms interchangeably there are actually some notable differences
| Country Fried | Chicken Fried |
|---|---|
| Brown gravy | White pepper or sawmill gravy |
| Simple flour coating | Egg-dipped then flour-coated |
| Older cooking method | More modern technique |
| Sometimes finished by simmering in gravy | Always served with gravy on top |
As explained by Feed Tavern & Table Co., “Country fried steak is finished with brown gravy whereas chicken fried steak is topped with a sawmill or white pepper gravy.” The same distinction applies when these techniques are used for chicken.
The Cozy Cook notes that chicken fried preparations typically involve “dipping into an egg batter, coated in seasoned flour, and fried to crispy perfection,” while traditional country fried might skip the egg altogether.
A Brief History: German Roots in Southern Soil
We actually have German immigrants to thank for introducing this cooking style to the American South! Back in the mid-1800s, German settlers brought their recipe for Wiener Schnitzel (breaded veal cutlet) to the region.
As Tasting Table explains, this technique was adapted to fit the Southern culinary landscape. The original veal was replaced with more affordable cuts like chicken and tough beef, and the breadcrumbs were swapped for a lighter flour coating.
Country frying emerged as a practical cooking method during times when eggs weren’t always readily available. While chicken frying kept eggs in the batter, country frying often skipped them entirely, making it accessible even when resources were limited.
The dish became especially popular with chuck wagon cooks on cattle drives, who appreciated its simplicity and delicious results with minimal ingredients.
How to Make Country Fried Chicken at Home
I’ve tried making country fried chicken numerous times, and I’ve found The Cozy Cook’s approach particularly effective. Here’s my simplified version:
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Prepare the chicken: Pound boneless chicken breasts to about 1/2 inch thickness (this is crucial for even cooking and tenderness)
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Marinate: While traditional country fried might skip the buttermilk marinade, modern recipes often include it for tenderness. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix regular milk with a bit of lemon juice or vinegar.
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Create your coating: Combine flour with seasonings like salt, pepper, paprika, and maybe a touch of cayenne
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Dredge and fry: Coat the chicken in the flour mixture and pan-fry in enough oil to cover the chicken halfway until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes per side)
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Make the gravy: Use the pan drippings to create a rich brown gravy
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Serve: Plate with classic sides like mashed potatoes and green beans
The magic is really in the details – making sure your chicken is properly tenderized, well-seasoned, and fried to that perfect golden brown.
Why Buttermilk Makes a Difference
Many modern country fried chicken recipes incorporate a buttermilk soak, even though it’s not strictly traditional. There’s good reason for this adaptation:
- Enhances tenderness by breaking down protein fibers
- Helps the flour coating adhere better
- Creates a crispier crust through its acidic content
- Adds subtle flavor to the chicken
If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make substitutes by adding lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk, or using a combination of milk and sour cream or yogurt.
Perfect Pairings: What to Serve With Country Fried Chicken
Country fried chicken is part of a complete Southern comfort food experience. The most traditional accompaniments include:
- Creamy mashed potatoes
- Brown gravy (essential!)
- Buttermilk biscuits
- Green bean casserole
- Corn casserole or cornbread
- Roasted vegetables like carrots or green beans
The combination of the fried chicken, rich gravy, and hearty sides creates a meal that’s pure comfort on a plate.
Tips for Country Fried Success
After trying numerous recipes, I’ve learned a few tricks that make a big difference:
- Pound the chicken flat: This isn’t just for even cooking – it creates more surface texture for the coating to cling to
- Let the chicken come to room temperature before frying for more even cooking
- Don’t crowd the pan when frying – work in batches if needed
- Transfer to a wire rack after frying to prevent sogginess
- Season at every step – both the marinade and the flour mixture
Beyond Chicken: Country Frying Other Foods
While we’re focusing on chicken here, it’s worth noting that the country frying technique works wonderfully for other proteins too. Country fried steak is perhaps even more common than the chicken version, typically made with cube steak or inexpensive cuts.
Some creative cooks even apply the country frying technique to:
- Pork chops
- Bacon
- Vegetables
- Fish
The Comfort Food Connection
There’s something about country fried chicken that just feels like home, even if you didn’t grow up eating it. It represents a cooking style born from necessity and ingenuity – taking simple ingredients and transforming them into something extraordinary.
In an age of complicated cooking techniques and exotic ingredients, there’s something refreshingly honest about country fried chicken. It’s unpretentious comfort food at its finest.
My Final Thoughts
Country fried chicken might seem simple, but it represents generations of Southern cooking wisdom. The distinction between country fried and chicken fried may seem minor, but understanding these nuances helps appreciate the rich culinary traditions behind them.
Whether you’re making it with an authentic flour-only coating or incorporating modern touches like a buttermilk marinade, country fried chicken delivers that perfect combination of tender meat, light coating, and rich gravy that makes Southern cooking so beloved.
Next time you’re craving comfort food, skip the fast food fried chicken and try making country fried chicken at home. With a little practice, you’ll master this Southern classic and maybe even start your own family tradition around it!
What’s your favorite side dish to serve with country fried chicken? Drop me a comment below!
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Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells
The Shocking Differences Between Chicken Fried and Country Fried
Here comes the shocking part, it’s less about how you fry and more about how you serve and what kind of gravy you make to go with the meal. That’s what the difference between chicken fried and country fried really “simmers” down to.
For Chicken Fried, as in Chicken Fried Steak, you’d pull the meat through your seasoned egg wash. Then you dredge the egg-coated meat in season flour. From there you drop the meat into the hot oil for frying. Or if you’re a wet batter person, this is where you’d dip your chicken before placing it in the hot oil.
In most cases, you’d want to have enough oil in the pan to cover the meat for even cooking. Chicken fried steak, like chicken fried chicken, should have a crispy delicious crust. It’s served with seasoned white gravy that can be poured over the meat or used for dipping. The gravy is usually very thick and can sometimes be the consistency of pudding.
For Country Fried meats you’re going to take similar steps, but you’ll see the difference between the country fried and the chicken fried will come down to texture and gravy in the end. The country-fried meat is dredged in seasoned flour. For some cooks that may be the only step. Others might give the meat a quick dip in an egg wash, but country-fried steak is more like a smothered steak. The coating on the meat is not nearly as crisp or plentiful.
Because you’re looking for different results with your crust, you won’t need as much oil as you would for “chicken” frying. But you do need to watch the heat of your pan because it can burn the flour and anyone who has ever “blackened” a roux can tell you that does not enhance the dish at all. The gravy is a seasoned brown gravy. It’s very savory and goes well not only with the meat but with traditional side dishes.
If youre still unclear, this video should help you.
Personally, I can agree with and do enjoy each of these methods for frying food. I think I like chicken frying for chicken and pork chops. I like country frying and thick white gravy for steak. As far as sides go, if you don’t have rice then you better have mashed potatoes. Because we are not about to let all that great gravy go to waste without mixing it up on the plate or smearing some on a biscuit.
Which Country Makes The Best Fried Chicken?
FAQ
What is country fried chicken?
There’s nothing quite as delicious as a plateful of succulent country fried chicken. White and dark meat are dredged in an herbaceous, subtly spicy batter, then they’re deep-fried to golden perfection. Sink your teeth into a perfectly fried piece, and enjoy a deeply savory, crunchy crust with juicy, tender chicken meat.
What is a country fried steak?
When a steak or chicken is country-fried, that means it’s coated in a light mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and perhaps paprika and then pan-fried to golden perfection. Then, it’s served with a brown gravy made from the pan drippings.
How do you make country fried chicken?
Country Fried Chicken is an old fashioned comfort food that’s easy to make with chicken breasts and staple ingredients! Serve this with gravy and mashed potatoes for a simple dinner idea for the family. Cover each chicken breast with saran wrap. Use a meat tenderizer and pound the chicken flat, about 1/2 inch thick. Pat the chicken completely dry.
What’s the difference between country frying and regular frying?
The breadcrumbs were also swapped out for a lighter coating, and while regular chicken frying kept the egg in the batter, country frying simply skips it altogether. When a steak or chicken is country-fried, that means it’s coated in a light mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and perhaps paprika and then pan-fried to golden perfection.
What to serve with country fried chicken?
The best dish to serve with country fried chicken is white gravy, also known as “country gravy.” To make white gravy, melt butter in a pot over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper until smooth. Slowly stream in the milk while whisking, bringing it to a boil and cooking the gravy for a minute or two so the sauce thickens.
What’s so great about country fried food?
Marvelous as they are, flavors and textures aren’t the only great things about country-fried food. There’s also a versatility hidden within this seemingly straightforward dish. Sometimes, even smoky, rich strips of bacon can be country-fried, and the result is nothing short of spectacular.
What is the difference between chicken fried and country fried?
The main differences are the gravy and the battering. Chicken-fried steak typically uses a white, peppery cream gravy and an egg-based batter for a crispy coating. Country-fried steak, on the other hand, is typically served with a richer, less creamy brown gravy and has a simpler, flour-based coating, sometimes with added breadcrumbs.
What is the meaning of country fried chicken?
What Is Country Fried Chicken? Country fried chicken is the pan-fried version of Country Fried Steak (CFS), but made from chicken. This fried chicken dish is breaded with seasoned flour and then fried to doneness. Since beef is a tougher cut the steak is typically tenderized and deep-fried in order to cook down.
What makes something country fried?
To “country fry” something means to coat it in flour, salt, small bits of bread, and whatever assortment of spices the cook sees fit to use before shallow-frying it in a skillet.
What’s the difference between chicken fried chicken and fried chicken?
The primary difference is that fried chicken is a general term for bone-in pieces of chicken that are battered and deep-fried, while chicken fried chicken refers to boneless, flattened chicken (similar to chicken-fried steak) that is breaded and shallow-fried, often served with white gravy. The term “chicken-fried” describes the preparation method of pounding meat flat before breading and frying it.