Chicken Fried Chicken

1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 eggs beaten

½ cup milk

1 cup flour

½ cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons black pepper

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Vegetable oil for frying

¼ cup flour

2-2 ½ cups whole milk or as needed

½ teaspoon salt

Black pepper to taste

Marinade (optional)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot sauce such as Frank’s
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt

To keep cooked chicken warm if frying in batches, preheat oven to 200°F. Place fried chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and keep warm for up to one hour to maintain crispness without drying. 

For a smooth gravy, add a little bit of the milk at a time and stir after each addition. It will initially seem thick and pasty, but it will thin out with each addition. Be sure to season generously.

• If using chicken breasts, cut the breasts in half horizontally. Pound the chicken breasts or cutlets to ¼ inch thickness. Marinate for 1 hour (per the notes) if desired. Remove from the marinade and pat the chicken dry with a paper towel. Discard the marinade.

• Combine 1 cup flour, corn starch, pepper, salt, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper in a bowl.

• Whisk eggs, ½ cup milk, and 1 tablespoon of the dry mixture in a small bowl.

• Dredge the chicken breasts in the dry mix. Shake off any excess mixture and dip the chicken into the wet batter. Dip back into the dry mixture and gently press to coat the chicken. Let the coated chicken rest for 10 minutes.

• Pour ½-inch of vegetable oil into a deep pan and heat the oil to 375°F (the temperature will drop a bit as you add the chicken, you want to cook the chicken at 350°F).

• Gently place the chicken into the hot oil, 2 at a time. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 3-4 minutes. Flip the chicken and continue cooking until the second side is browned and the internal temperature is 165°F, about 2 to 4 minutes more. Ensure the oil temperature remains at 350°F between batches of chicken.

• Transfer fried chicken to a clean baking rack and season with additional salt if desired.

• Drain the oil from the pan, leaving the brown bits and ¼ cup of oil in the bottom. Heat over medium heat.

• Add ¼ cup flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

• Add in milk a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Continue adding milk to reach the desired consistency – you may not need all of it.

• Bring to a boil and let simmer 2 minutes. Taste and season generously with salt & pepper.

• Serve the gravy over the chicken.