Fried Chicken and Biscuits
Fried Chicken and Biscuits is a classic recipe for a reason! Homemade buttermilk biscuits topped with juicy fried chicken make for one heck of a comfort food meal!
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Take a road trip anywhere near the southern states of the US, and you’re bound to pass at least 57 fried chicken shacks. Zaxby’s. Raisin’ Canes. I’d even put Chick-Fil-A in this category. These fast food joints feature a simple, but classic menu. Fried chicken and french fries. Heck, Raisin’ Canes only sells chicken fingers and fries. You can get a fried chicken sandwich…it’s chicken fingers on a bun. It might be simple, but it’s downright delicious!
Fried chicken shacks north of the Mason-Dixon line are much harder to find. You can’t drive a mile in the South without passing at least 3 options. To be fair, Chick-Fil-A did recently open a location in Albany, New York…behind security at the local airport. (I won’t even comment on how rude that is!) The fried chicken at these places is quite tasty. It better be. It’s the only thing on the menu! But what really takes that fried chicken to the next level is the pickle on top of the sandwich.
The pickle. I kid you not. When I was a kid, I’d always order the fried chicken sammich sans the pickle. Now I order it with extra pickles. There is just something about the combination of fried chicken and sliced pickles. The bread around the pickle gets a little bit soggy…but only in the best way imaginable. Since it’s difficult to find this holy grail of fast food up here, I decided to take the project into my own hands. I decided to make Fried Chicken and Biscuits.
Fried Chicken and Biscuits
I debated making fried chicken sandwiches, but I decided to go all in and bake some homemade buttermilk biscuits for this project. Am I glad I did that! These Fried Chicken and Biscuits were delicious, and I enjoyed every single bite. Am I going to make them all the time? No way. Frying food is a messy process, and it ranks pretty low on the healthy meter. But for those times when I’m really missing my Southern fried chicken? Heck yeah! These Fried Chicken and Biscuits will be on the menu.
It’s worth noting here that I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts for these Fried Chicken and Biscuits. Wait. Skinless fried chicken? Yup, it’s indeed possible! Sure, the skin does add a ton of flavor, but I wanted to keep this one a little easier. (Plus, I only had boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the freezer.) The key to this fried chicken is the buttermilk marinade. It’s just buttermilk and hot sauce, but man does it add a ton of flavor to the chicken! (And it’s not spicy like you might think.) Add in the classic flour + cornstarch coating, and you’ve got the makings for a juicy piece of fried chicken that’s packed with tons of flavor. Just don’t forget the sliced pickles on top! Enjoy!
Did you make a batch of these Fried Chicken and Biscuits at home? Leave a comment. Or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog). Cheers!
Looking for more Southern-inspired recipes? Check out these other favorites:
Homemade Banana Pudding
Southern Burger with Fried Pickles
Pecan Praline Cake
Banana Pudding Cheesecake with Crumbled Pralines
Southern Hushpuppies
Fried Chicken and Biscuits
Ingredients
For the Biscuits
- 1 ¼-oz. packet active dry yeast or 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
For the Chicken
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken cutlets (see note)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 large eggs lightly whisked
- Canola or vegetable oil for frying
- Sliced pickles for serving
Instructions
For the Biscuits
- Using a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water; stir until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a large mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda; stir until well combined.
- Cut butter until ¼” pieces; add to the bowl with flour. Using a pastry cutter or two table knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until butter is the size of small peas.
- Add yeast mixture and buttermilk; toss until just combined.
- Turn dough out onto a well-floured (~¼ cup) countertop and fold several times.
- Roll/press dough into an 8” circle. Using a 3” biscuit cutter, cut biscuits and place close together on a baking sheet. Reroll leftover dough and continue cutting until all dough has been used. Cover biscuits lightly and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- While biscuits are resting, preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bake at 400°F for 12-15 minutes, or until light golden brown in color.
For the Chicken
- Using a meat mallet (or a rolling pin), pound cutlets to ~½”, making sure that the thickness is uniform.
- Using a glass baking dish, add chicken, buttermilk and hot sauce. Turn chicken several times to ensure well-coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 8 hours.
- Using a shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, smoked paprika, black pepper and cayenne pepper; stir until well combined.
- In a separate shallow bowl, add eggs.
- Remove 3 tablespoons of the marinade and mix into the bowl with the flour. (Note: This extra moisture in the flour mixture helps the batter stick to the chicken better.)
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove from the buttermilk mixture and dip both sides into the flour. Next, dip both sides in egg and then dip both sides into the flour again. Discard any excess marinade.
- Using a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 1” of oil to 350°F. (Tip: To determine when oil is hot enough, drop a pinch of flour into the oil. If it bubbles up immediately, then the oil is hot enough. If the oil begins to smoke at any point, immediately reduce heat.)
- Fry 2 cutlets at a time for 3-4 minutes per side, or until chicken is fully cooked. Transfer chicken to a wire rack set over a paper-towel lined sheet pan. Let cool for 15-20 minutes.
- Split biscuits open and add cutlets. Serve with sliced pickles and additional hot sauce.
Your southern roots are showing in this recipe! I’m all about great fried chicken, but I’ve never had southern fried chicken. This chicken and biscuit looks totally delish…but can I add a bit of mayo to the biscuit? Or is that a big no-no? 🙂
Hey Kathy! You know me well. I love my Southern food! 🙂 I think you can totally get away with adding a bit of mayo to the biscuit. Most of the chicken finger shacks in the South have their own version of “secret sauce” and mayo is a key ingredient. I say go for it! Hope you had a great weekend, my friend!
Gotta have the pickle! You’re seriously making me crave this right now, David! Seriously. I could (and would) happily eat this for any meal of the day. I’d drizzle with a little drizzle hot sauce too (cause I’m obsessed). Cheers to a wonderful week, my friend 🙂
Oh man, the pickle is key here, Dawn! I can’t believe my younger self never recognized the value (i.e. the deliciousness) of the pickle. And you can totally drizzle some hot sauce on there…it would be delicious! In fact, I bet you would like a good batch of Nashville Hot Chicken. That stuff is seriously hot…and seriously tasty! 🙂
Pickles really make everything better! (I’m a pickle fanatic.) It probably doesn’t surprise you I’ve never eaten at a chicken shack–growing up in Oregon we had three Starbucks every mile and not a chicken shack to be found. But you’re making me crave biscuits and sweet tea and comforting Southern food too! And now I’m actually starving. . .Have a great week!
Yes! I’m such a fan of pickles…but they have to be crunchy. And they have to be dill. I can’t tell you how many jars of pickles we’ve gone through over the years in our house only to find the best “deli-style” pickles out there. (Hint: It’s a lot.) Nothing like some good comfort food, right? Hope you had a great weekend, Kelsie!
I’m drooling a little! Yes, chicken shacks abound here in the South, but all chicken and biscuits I’ve encountered are made with “regular” biscuits which are crumbly and hard to eat as a sandwich. THESE biscuits with yeast and baking powder (I call them angel biscuits) are the answer. Brilliant! I always make these kind of biscuits for little ham and biscuit sandwiches for parties because they are so tender, yet they hold up as a sandwich (in the fall and winter, I sometimes make sweet potato angel biscuits—to die for with ham or smoked turkey and a little dollop of cranberry sauce or jam). Thanks for the chicken and biscuit inspiration—can’t wait to make this!
Hey Kim! I totally know what you mean about the crumbly biscuits. While they’re still delicious, they do make it difficult to eat a biscuit sandwich. These biscuits are indeed a twist on my angel biscuits recipe. (I used all butter instead of the shortening that’s in the original recipe.) They worked well! I want to keep hunting for a ‘taller’ biscuit, but these still worked for the sandwiches. Also, sweet potato biscuits!? I need to know more about those!! I’m not familiar with that one, but it sounds like I need to be!
I haven’t used shortening for years even though it’s supposed to make a fluffier biscuit (I honestly can’t tell much difference and the butter adds so much flavor). The recipe I use for sweet potato biscuits is from an old, old Southern Living and it’s still around on the internet. It uses 7 1/2 cups flour and makes a ton. You can use all butter (I always do) instead of shortening or half of each. They are so good with a thin slice of country ham and a little jam or sweet-hot mustard. I always made them cocktail size and they freeze beautifully. (Leftover are divine split, buttered and toasted!) And while I’m here…also try “Callie’s
Buttermilk Biscuits” if you can get your hands on some White Lily. They are made with butter and cream cheese and are a little different —and so good. I love trying new biscuit recipes. They all have their place!
And…I had to circle back to tell you I made this recipe today, exactly as written. Five stars all the way! My 2 chicken breasts, (even though organic, free range) were HUGE. So I got 8 chicken and biscuits out of it. So very good! I ate one with honey for lunch and then one with dill pickles for supper. Thanks for sharing this fabulous recipe.
Why is there sugar in your biscuits. I’m from Georgia and don’t understand sugar in biscuits or cornbread. It becomes cake with the addition of sugar. I’m 68 years old and don’t want sugar in everything. Love my fried chicken and sweet tea though.
Hey Barbara! I totally understand where you’re coming from with the sugar in cornbread. I’ve only recently gotten to where I can appreciate a sweeter cornbread. As far as biscuits, I personally like the little bit of sweetness here paired with the fried chicken. You are absolutely welcome to leave it out though…those biscuits will still be delicious! Happy baking! 🙂
I’m right there with you, David, on the pickles! A necessity with a fried chicken Sammy! Also love it on a biscuit! I have to say, though, I’ve never made a biscuit with yeast! Is this traditional? And along with baking powder and soda, what does it add? Going to have to give this a try!
Yes! Extra pickles, please! I can’t believe my younger self didn’t appreciate the value of the pickle on fried chicken sandwiches.
So yeasted biscuits aren’t entirely traditional, but I wanted to try my hand using my ‘angel biscuits’ recipe but with all butter instead of shortening. I’m quite pleased how these turned out! I have a more traditional buttermilk biscuit recipe from years ago that’s normally my go-to, but I wanted to try the yeasted version here. Both would be excellent…as long as you have pickles! 🙂
I made this recipe over the weekend and it was AMAZING!!
I added Bread and Butter Chips and it was the perfect icing on the cake (go to speak). Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks so much, Miranda! I’m glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
I must admit: I have only had fried chicken once or twice in my life (Certainly, I have fish&chips way more often). I must also admit I’ve never made homemade biscuits. Too many confessions in one day, right? Let’s have a deal: I’m going to learn how to make biscuits and you’ll make and send me some fried chicken. I think that’s fair, isn’t it? 🙂 Delicious situation is going on here, David!
Ok, so with all of those confessions, I think it’s time to fix those problems, Ben! Fried chicken is amazing. Homemade biscuits are amazing. You should make them. Enough said. 🙂 (Also, I would send you some fried chicken…but I suspect I’d eat it all before it went into the box!)
Hi David! Fantastic job my friend! Nothing better (or more Southern) that this! OMG these biscuits! I don’t fry foods often as it’s messy and not exactly healthy, but every once in a while the craving just hits! Plus it can’t hurt if you do it only once in a while, right? There are great pickles in the stores, but there’s nothing like homemade pickles.
I totally hear ya about frying foods, Dorothy. I kinda go in spurts. I typically avoid doing it at home because (1) health and (2) pain to clean it up…but sometimes you just need fried chicken! I was really pleased with this fried chicken as it started with boneless, skinless breasts…but it still ended up juicy and crunchy like chicken with skin-on.
Thanks so much, my friend, and I hope you had a great weekend!!
I love the combination of the pickles with the fried chicken — the whole recipe loos so scrumptious. David, did you know TODAY is National Biscuit Day!? 😀
Wait! I missed National Biscuit Day!? How in the heck did I let that happen?? Ok, I guess I’ll just have to celebrate today…better late than never, right? Haha! Thanks, Valentina!
David, that’s one heck of a fried chicken & biscuit sandwich you made there. I grew up on grandma’s fried chicken and biscuits and remember when our first fast-food chicken joint opened. It was a Church’s Chicken but they didn’t have a biscuit and chicken. The first time I remember eating a biscuit and chicken was at a Bojangles and after that, I was hooked.
Great tip on the buttermilk and hot sauce marinade. Buttermilk and Tobasco marinated catfish was also a fav of mine.
Oh man, I totally remember Church’s Chicken. And of course Bojangles is a staple when it comes to Southern food. I miss places like that! I know they’re just ‘fast food,’ but man they can make some tasty chicken.
Good call on the buttermilk + Tobasco for fried catfish. That’s another Southern classic, and I can’t say I’ve seen fried catfish up here in the north very often…if at all. Guess it’s time for another trip back home! 🙂 Thanks, Ron!
David, your fried chicken looks so darn delicious – I love your use of paprika, cayenne and hot sauce in it – gosh I cannot wait to try this – maybe in the air fryer? 🙂
I had my first Raisin Caines the other day and so not impressed (maybe it was this location, maybe?) – yours looks and sounds way way better – in fact, yours just might be up there with the likes of Zaxby’s and Chik Fil A! On a side note, some juveniles ran a stolen car through a Chik Fil A down here and Chik Fil A still opened and ran their drive through inspite of the incident!
You know, I bet this recipe would actually work well in an air fryer, Shashi! It’s a unique one in that it starts with boneless, skinless chicken breasts rather than skin-on chicken. I’m curious if that would work now!
So Canes wasn’t a good experience!? That makes me sad to hear! I’d give it another shot maybe. Or perhaps it’s the location. Back when I lived in Louisiana, Canes was my go-to stop when I wanted fried chicken. And Canes sauce? Holy cow is that stuff good!
Also, the Chik Fil A car story made me laugh. Good thing they stayed open…you can’t get in between folks and their fried chicken! 🙂
That is one heck of a sandwich! I’ve actually never made fried chicken. Hard to believe. I even (finally) bought a deep fryer and still haven’t made it. I must have something against frying. But I love me a good fish and chips! Your fried chicken recipe is really appealing. Maybe I should dust off my deep fryer…
So I totally know where you’re coming from here, Mimi. It took me a while, but I finally broke down and bought a mini-fryer. (That was years ago now.) I still don’t pull it out all that often, but sometimes you just need a good batch of fried chicken! I’m thinking you should give it a shot…even if it’s only one time! 🙂
As I’m away on my travels next week David I’m seriously hoping that I find a fast food joint that sells fried chicken and biscuits. You’ve put me right in the mood for it! Now that might be a little difficult in terms of the place in the world I’m going (the far east) but you mentioned that there was a Chick-Fil-A at an airport so maybe there will be a simlar one at the airports we are travelling through. Otherwise I’ll have to wait until I get home to try these. They look amazing!
Oh man, do they have fried chicken ‘shacks’ where you’re traveling, Neil!? I hope so! I’m not sure what sorts of fast food you can find in the far east, but I’m hoping you come across some tasty food while you’re over there! Safe travels, my friend! 🙂
I will confess that I just attempted to reach through the screen for one of those – they look incredible!!
Haha! When will they figure out scratch-and-sniff computer monitors, Alexandra!? 🙂
These sandwiches look spectacular, David. But I have to admit I’ve never had pickles on a fried chicken sandwich. But after reading your post I’m convinced that I’ve been missing out!
Oh gosh, you need to drop everything and go find (or make) a fried chicken sammich…with lots of pickles! Seriously. 🙂
I agree with you, your chicken and biscuits are downright delicious! And guess what, I order extra pickles at Chick-Fil-A too. 🙂
Hah! I knew we were friends for a reason, Karen…it must be the extra pickles at Chick-Fil-A! 🙂
I would never have thought that your chicken was skinless. It looks beautifully coated and perfectly fried. Maybe you need to open your own shop.
Why thank you very much, Jeff! The only problem with opening my own shop is that I might eat all of the profits. 🙂