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With a puffy but crispy coating, this Grandma’s Fried Chicken is super tasty, easy, and a family favorite dinnertime meal that you won’t be able to resist.

We have been making Grandma’s Fried Chicken for years, it is like your regular fried chicken but with a puffier yet still crunchy coating like you’ve never had before.

We are a huge fried chicken family and we try all sorts and this has to be one of our favorites, that is why we continuously keep it on rotation in our house. This is literally my Grandma Helen’s fried chicken recipe, I grew up on it and love to continue the tradition.

Still using your regular Fried Chicken method, it just contains a few different ingredients that makes the outside puffy which is super different but oh so tasty.

Trust me when I say that when you try this recipe you will fall in love! I might be biased but if you are adventurous and want to try something new, Grandma’s Fried Chicken is the recipe for you.

You still get that same great flavor and texture from your favorite recipe, but you just get a little more puffy crispness along the way.

Some of our other favorite chicken recipes that we have on our site include: Ritz Cracker Chicken, The Best Sweet and Sour Chicken and BBQ Crock Pot Chicken Wings.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:

This is super easy to double to serve a large family or crowd.
This comes together easily and quickly.
It is a fun way to switch up your fried chicken routine.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED (FULL RECIPE BELOW):

Chicken
Garlic powder
Seasoned salt
Pepper
Onion powder
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Water
Kosher salt to taste
Oil for frying

HOW TO MAKE GRANDMA’S FRIED CHICKEN:

Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottom skillet to 375°F. The oil needs to be about 3-inches up the side of the pan.
Place the chicken in a large bowl. Add the garlic powder, seasoned salt, black pepper, and onion powder, toss to coat the chicken in the spices.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the chicken bowl and toss to coat the chicken.
Start adding the water to the bowl about 1 and 1/4 cup, stirring as you do, it is easier to use your hands for this. You want the batter to be a little thinner than pancake batter. Add in more of the water if needed.
Once the oil is hot, gently add a few pieces of the chicken into the pan, not touching, you do not want to crowd the pan. Make sure the chicken is coated in a thin layer of the batter before placing it into the oil.
Add the lid on the skillet and cook for 7 minutes, flip the chicken, and cook an additional 7-9 minutes until an internal temperature reaches 165°F. How big the chicken pieces are depends on how long they have to cook.
Drain the chicken on a wire rack over a sheet tray to catch any drips. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt. Repeat with the remaining pieces.

DO I HAVE TO USE A WHOLE CHICKEN OR CAN I USE CERTAIN PIECES?

We like to use a whole chicken so we have various pieces of chicken for people to choose from, but you can use certain pieces of chicken if you’d like.

You can choose to keep the skin off or on, for breasts, thighs, and legs I do however take the skin off, this is a personal preference so you can do what you like with the pieces you choose.

DO I HAVE TO USE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR?

You can substitute the all-purpose flour with self-rising flour if you’d like. You will still keep the baking powder and baking soda in this recipe that is what helps it get its texture and puffiness.

WHAT PAN SHOULD I USE?

We like to use a skillet with deeper sides for this recipe. It is the right size and you don’t have to worry about using a deep fryer where the batter likes to drop to the bottom.

Make sure that you use a candy thermometer so you can monitor the temperature and keep it even so all the chicken cooks the same.

HOW TO STORE:

This can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container where it will keep for up to 4 days.

To reheat you can place it in the oven at 350 degrees F until heated through.

TIPS AND TRICKS:

You can swap the all-purpose flour for self-rising.
We like to use a whole chicken, but you can use your favorite pieces.
Removing the skin is optional, we like to do it on the legs, thighs, and breasts.
Cut the breasts down the center, this helps them cook faster.
Using a candy thermometer is very helpful while cooking to keep the temperature even.
Peanut oil is our favorite oil to use, but you can essentially use any.

Love fried chicken but want to switch it up? Then this Grandma’s Fried Chicken is exactly what you’ve been looking for, all the flavor and crunch just a new method!

If you like this recipe you might also like:

If you’ve tried GRANDMA’S FRIED CHICKEN let me know in the comments how it turned out! You can follow me over on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM OR FACEBOOK to find some more of our mouthwatering recipes!

5 from 5 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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5 Comments

CJAW says:

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Which bowl s the water added to? Your directions do not say but Zi am thinking the large bowl.
Dana DeVolk says:

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You add it straight to the bowl with the chicken and flour mixture.
Paula says:

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Can you cook in air fryer? 🤔
Dana DeVolk says:

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I haven’t tried, since this is a battered chicken I don’t think it would work out.
Robert Patterson says:

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Why not make the batter then dip the chicken, marinate for a bit before frying? I’m going to try it.

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Grandma’s Fried Chicken