This is a step by step Pan Fried Chicken and Gravy recipe. Fried chicken with mashed potatoes and white chicken gravy = excellent.
Fried Chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy with a side of green beans. This is the first meal I ever learned how to prepare. I know my chicken frying. A third-generation Kansas farm girl, I grew up on my mother’s family recipe for fried chicken. On the farm, my father would kill a chicken, my mother would dress it, cut it up and promptly place it in a large pot of salted water to brine for a coupe of hours.
This ended up on our dinner table several times a week during wheat harvest when we had a table full of hired hands helping my father with the farm work. By the way, dinner was the meal served at mid-day, supper was our night-time meal. The preparation was simple but attention to details important. The right kind of oil at just the right temperature and knowing when to turn the chicken…all were important.
Never did we jazz up the breading mixture with things like buttermilk, corn flakes or herbs. And use a deep fryer??? Never. I wouldn’t touch our classic recipe. The results, sweet milk gravy over creamy mashed potatoes and perfectly crunchy fried chicken. 1 whole fryer chicken, cut in pieces. Don’t you dare try to get all healthy on me and remove the skin…it won’t work…don’t bother. After your skin-on chicken pieces have been soaking in salt water for at least an hour…let’s get started with the oil. 
I’ve never fried chicken in anything but Crisco. Well, maybe one time I tried olive oil for a healthier version, which didn’t work well at all. As far as I know nothing fries up chicken better than Crisco. I only make fried chicken a couple times a year, so I figure a little Crisco isn’t going to hurt anybody.
About three giant heaping tablespoons ought to do it. Make sure to use a large fry pan with deep sides. This time I tried my cast iron skillet. It worked great, but any large fry pan will do. Turn the burner to medium high.
Remove the chicken pieces from the brine and pat dry. While the oil is heating in the pan fill a dinner plate with flour. Mix in about a teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
Dredge each chicken piece on both sides in the flour mixture. As you work, place the pieces in the pan with the oil that has reached approximately 375 degrees. I usually don’t use a thermometer for the oil temperature, I just sprinkle a bit of flour in the pan and if it sizzles I know it’s ready. In the meantime, turn on the burner under those peeled potatoes you’ve cut up for your mashed potatoes.
Once you have all the chicken pieces situated in the pan, let them fry at a bubbling speed for about 10-15 minutes. 
With a fork, take a peek to see if you’ve achieved just the right golden crust. Nope, not ready yet.
I’ve just turned this thigh. Now that’s perfect.
Continue to turn the pieces as they reach that crispness and brown on the other side for another 15 minutes, or so. 
After both sides are crunchy and browned, I briefly cover the pan and let everything steam for about 5 minutes only. Any longer will turn that crusty goodness soft. I’m just doing this to make sure the internal meat is cooked through. 
Having removed all of the pieces, pay special attention to the two large breast pieces by turning them on their sides for a few minutes. Just want to make sure each side has that crust. Total time to cook a full pan of chicken is about 30-40 minutes.
Before we start the gravy, dip out about 1/2 cup of that starchy water that the potatoes have left behind from boiling. 
Now we’re ready to make the gravy. While the chicken is resting on paper towels, carefully pour off the oil leaving about 3 tablespoons in the fry pan. Make sure you don’t let any of those brown crunchies on the bottom escape the pan. That’s what really makes a gravy flavorful.
With burner on medium low, add an equal amount of flour and stir into a roux. Continue to cook for about 5 minutes, sprinkling in a little more flour if you feel the consistency isn’t thick enough. You’ve got to get this part right because you can’t add any more flour after this step, or you’ll get those undesirable lumps. Add about a cup of milk. Stirring constantly allow mixture to thicken. Stir in about 1/2 cup of reserved potato water and continue to cook. As it bubbles and thickens add a little milk at a time to achieve that perfect gravy consistency.
Mash those potatoes with some butter and milk and just enough salt and pepper. Serve it up with some green beans that have been tossed with some cooked chopped onion and bacon pieces. Don’t forget to drag the green beans through some of the potatoes and gravy as you’re scooping them up. I always grab for the thighs…love that dark meat. Are you a white meat or dark meat kinda person?
Recipe for Pan Fried Chicken and Gravy
I hope you give this recipe for pan fried chicken and gravy a try, and if you do, please come back and leave a comment about your experience and give the recipe a star rating. I always love hearing from my readers.
- 1 chicken cut into pieces
- Crisco enough to cover the chicken pieces half way up
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups flour for dredging chicken
- For the gravy:
- 3 tablespoons oil from frying chicken
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup starchy water from boiling potatoes
- salt and pepper to taste
- - 3 hours before frying chicken, place chicken pieces in a large bowl of water that's been heavily salted. Drain chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. Place flour on a plate and dredge chicken pieces until well coated.
- Melt Crisco in a deep sided large fry pan. A cast iron skillet works great. When oil reaches around 375 degrees start placing the floured chicken in the hot oil. Cook until well browned, checkin pieces. As soon as the pieces start to brown, turn them and cook on the other side until well browned. When done, turn down heat to medium and cover with lid. Cook about 3 minutes just to make sure chicken is cooked through.
- Remove pieces to a paper towel.
- For the Gravy: Drain oil from pan so that about 3 tablespoons remain. Return to medium heat and add flour to oil. Cook 2 - 3 minutes or until flour is starting to turn color. If the mixture seems thin, add a bit more flour. Add milk and starchy water from the potatoes you've cooked. Let it bubble until thickened. Add more milk if necessary to get that gravy consistency.
Fried Chicken and Gravy, It’s What’s For a Country “Dinner”.
Chris says
May 19, 2010 at 10:53 pmLOL, that commercial was for Shake n Bake, I remember it;)
Great looking chicken, L!
doggybloggy says
May 19, 2010 at 10:59 pmnow you’ve done it – I am jonesing for fried chicken and mashed potatoes!
Larry says
May 20, 2010 at 12:03 amWell I believe you learned to cook your first meal well – it looks absolutely delicious. That is some serious southern comfort food – it made me hungry and I just got up from supper. I don’t know why, but we rarely fry chicken in a skillet like this and like grandma always did, but it will be tried soon. Great informative post.
Crepes of Wrath says
May 20, 2010 at 1:21 amI’ve never thought of frying anything in shortening before, but I’m sure that it is delicious! The skin on your chicken looks like absolute perfection!
cgrape says
May 20, 2010 at 1:52 amThat looks terrific…..
leaannbrown says
May 20, 2010 at 11:50 amThanks Carol
Chilebrown says
May 20, 2010 at 4:31 amI Love big breast’s!
Joanne says
May 20, 2010 at 2:55 amThis recipe is classic. If I’m going to eat seriously fried food, it has better be some kind of awesome. Something like this.
Pam says
May 20, 2010 at 11:56 amWell THAT sure swept me out of my ‘big girl’ office in Wichita and dropped me in the middle of a field outside of Nickerson at the age of 6…. Am I the only one in the family that is afraid of gravy?
I am printing this and attempting it this Sunday! First I think I’ll go for further inspiration by visiting your Mom on Saturday morning… I need to plant her flowers anyway! She wants hot pink this summer!
Great post to kick off your second year!
leaannbrown says
May 20, 2010 at 12:28 pmHave you never made fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy??? You obviously didn’t spend enough time in the middle of that field. Yes, I imagine you’re the only one afraid of gravy. Thanks for the comment Pam and I expect a full report of the meal.
mick says
May 20, 2010 at 2:07 pmHowdy, can you add links so we can tweet / facebook your blog? Cheers!
buffalo dick says
May 20, 2010 at 3:10 pmThat chicken is as good as I’ve ever seen!
Vickie says
May 20, 2010 at 5:14 pmI hardly ever start salivating when I read a post, but this did that very thing to me. Growing up in Kansas, we had this every Sunday and it was my most favorite meal in the world. Is there anything that smells better than a whole bird frying up in the kitchen?? I haven’t made it in ages, but I’m going to remedy that this weekend. I’ll take a thigh and one of those funny bony pieces. (with 7 kids we ate every piece)
Vickie says
May 20, 2010 at 5:15 pm. . . and thanks for stirring up some great memories. Very nice post!
Reeni says
May 20, 2010 at 6:28 pmMy mouth is watering like mad! This looks positively delicious! Pass a breast, please!
sweetlife says
May 21, 2010 at 3:21 amyou lovely lady you…this is freaking amazing..hey sometimes you gotta fry stuff in crisco..oh yummy…i bet your chicken would taste great cold, at the beach, with the kiddos..yum..oh dark meat please
sweetlife
Christine @ Fresh Local and Best says
May 21, 2010 at 3:43 amBoy! You’ve got this down to a science, drippings and all! It’s been decades since I made fried chicken, and I miss it, this is one of the classic comfort foods. Great recipe!
Zia Liz says
May 21, 2010 at 1:19 amDo you know, I’ve never made fried chicken… I was always afraid of starting a fire! I’m going to have to try this, it looks just perfect 🙂
Karen says
May 21, 2010 at 8:13 pmGrowing up with a Greek mother, the only fried chicken I ever got came in a bucket from KFC (which was Poulet Frit a la Kentucky, or PFK in Quebec 😉 ). I’ve since had the real thing, and have always wanted to make it at home, but I have an irrational fear of deep frying. I’m so glad that your recipe is deep-fry free. I can’t wait to try it!
Kristi Rimkus says
May 22, 2010 at 1:54 pmIf this isn’t the perfect comfort food meal, then I don’t know what is! Delicious!
Barbara says
May 23, 2010 at 11:11 pmThat’s the way to make perfect fried chicken all right. I soak mine in buttermilk though, but basically the same otherwise.
Wouldn’t it be fun to ask food bloggers what the first meal they ever cooked was? Mine was broiled chicken and mashed taters. Bet we would find chicken on nearly everyone’s “first” list!
Reeni says
May 24, 2010 at 12:29 amHi LeeAnn, Just stopped by to say thanks for trying the salad. A few of mine fell apart too and I had a good quality goat cheese – I’m not sure how to remedy that. I patted and shaped mine together a little using my hands and that seemed to help. In hindsight I wonder if freezing them caused them to crack – maybe it they were softer they couldn’t break apart. Oh well I’m sure I’ll be making them again either way. Have a good night!
Ben says
November 18, 2011 at 11:36 pmThanks for the great article and recipe, terrific photos!
dulce says
May 8, 2014 at 8:07 pmHow much flour exactly
Abby says
May 21, 2017 at 9:21 amLooks exactly like my moms… fixed in cast iron with good ole Crisco and that’s the way I’ve always done it too. My mom always called it milk gravy & she got the most beautiful color on her roux before adding the milk. Too bad more people don’t learn to cook at an early age with simple ingredients…. Thanks for sharing
Lea Ann Brown says
May 21, 2017 at 12:38 pmHi Abby – thanks so much for the comment.
I can’t imagine making fried chicken using anything BUT Crisco. And isn’t this meal in all it’s entirety just the best. It’s the first thing my mom ever taught me to make – which is surprising, it can be a little fickle to get that chicken just right.
And actually I think my mom called it milk gravy too. A little trick she taught me to do was add some of the starchy potato water to the milk gravy as it was thickening. She learned that from living through the Great Depression – saved on milk.
Thanks for your note – now let’s go fry up some chicken. 🙂