Easy Country Fried Chicken with White Gravy (Crispy & Foolproof)
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This country fried chicken is crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and covered in creamy white gravy that actually has flavor. If you’ve ever had soggy coating or chicken that tastes a little flat, this method helps fix both. It’s simple, made with pantry ingredients, and gives you that classic comfort food dinner without making it complicated.
⭐ Why This Recipe Works
- Three coating layers give the chicken a crispier crust.
- Pounding the chicken thin helps it cook quickly and evenly.
- Breadcrumbs add extra crunch to the outside.
- Making the cream gravy separately keeps it smooth and easy to control.
Ingredients for Country Fried Chicken with White Gravy
- Heavy cream
- Salt
- Pepper
- Garlic powder
- Kosher salt
- Onion powder
- Cornstarch + water (for slurry)
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin
- Bread crumbs
- Flour
- Paprika
- Egg
- Milk
- Hot sauce
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
How to Make Country Fried Chicken
- Pound the chicken breasts thin.
- Set up 3 bowls for an assembly line:
- Bowl 1: Flour, salt, paprika (dry mix)
- Bowl 2: Egg, milk, hot sauce (wet mix)
- Bowl 3: Breadcrumbs with SPG seasoning
- Dip each chicken breast in the dry mix, then the wet mix, and finally the breadcrumbs, pressing to coat well.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Once hot, carefully add chicken and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
- Drain chicken on paper towels.
How to Make White Gravy for Country Fried Chicken
- Add the heavy cream, SPG seasoning, kosher salt, and onion powder to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring it to a low boil, whisking so the cream heats evenly and does not scorch.
- In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and water together until smooth. Slowly whisk the slurry into the hot cream mixture. Keep whisking until the gravy thickens and turns smooth and creamy.
- Remove it from the heat or lower the heat to warm while the chicken finishes frying. If the gravy gets too thick before serving, whisk in a small splash of cream or milk to loosen it back up.
Keeping Country Fried Chicken Crispy
- The best way to keep country fried chicken crispy is to place it on a wire rack after frying instead of stacking it on a plate. This helps steam escape instead of softening the coating.
- If you are making a few batches, keep the cooked chicken on a wire rack in a warm oven while the rest finishes.
- Wait to spoon the white gravy over the chicken until right before serving so the coating stays crisp.
Best Oil for Frying Chicken
- Use a neutral oil with a higher smoke point, like vegetable oil, canola oil, or peanut oil.
- Avoid olive oil because it can burn too quickly and change the flavor.
- For the crispiest coating, keep the oil around 325°F to 350°F. If the oil is too cool, the chicken can turn greasy. If it is too hot, the coating browns before the chicken cooks through.
Why Your Breading Falls Off (and How to Fix It)
- Breading usually falls off when the chicken is too wet, you do not press the coating on well, or you move the chicken too soon in the pan.
- Press each layer onto the chicken so it sticks before frying. Once the chicken is in the skillet, let the bottom turn golden before flipping.
More Tips for Country Fried Chicken:
Reheating Fried Chicken Without Losing the Crunch
The oven or air fryer works best because both help bring back the crispy coating.
- To reheat in the oven, place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and warm at 375°F until heated through.
- To reheat in the air fryer, warm at 350°F for a few minutes, flipping once.
- Skip the microwave if you can because it softens the breading.
Storing Country Fried Chicken
- Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the white gravy in a separate container so the coating does not get soggy.
- Reheat the chicken first, then warm the gravy separately and spoon it over the top right before serving.
Country Fried Chicken and White Gravy
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- large skillet or frying pan
- Tongs
- paper towel lined plate
Ingredients
Pepper Gravy
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/3 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp pepper
- 1/3 tsp garlic
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water for slurry
Chicken
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin
- 1/2 cup bread crumbs
- 1/6 tsp salt
- 1/6 tsp pepper
- 1/6 tsp garlic
- 3/4 cup All Purpose flour (or 1.1 gluten free flour)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1/2 – 1 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
Instructions
Prepare Gravy
- Place a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the heavy cream and seasonings (SPG seasoning, kosher salt, onion powder).
- Bring to a low boil.
Thicken Gravy
- In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and water to create a slurry.
- Whisk the slurry into the gravy until it thickens.
- Set aside and keep warm.
Prep Chicken
- Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.
- In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs with 1/2 tsp SPG seasoning.
- In another bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and hot sauce.
- In a third bowl, mix the flour, kosher salt, and paprika.
Coat Chicken
- First, dip the chicken breasts into the flour mixture, coating well.
- Next, dip the chicken into the egg mixture, ensuring it’s fully covered.
- Finally, coat the chicken with breadcrumbs, pressing to adhere.
Fry Chicken
- Heat a large skillet or frying pan over medium heat.
- Add enough vegetable oil to cover the bottom of the skillet.
- Once the oil is hot, carefully add the chicken breasts.
- Fry the chicken for 4-5 minutes on the first side until golden brown.
- Flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain excess oil.
Serve
- Plate the fried chicken and generously spoon the pepper gravy over the top.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Pound the chicken to an even thickness so it cooks evenly and stays tender.
- Press the coating firmly onto the chicken so it sticks and creates a crisp crust.
- Let the coated chicken rest for a few minutes before frying to help prevent the breading from falling off.
- Keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F for the best texture. Lower temperatures can make the chicken greasy, while higher temperatures can brown the outside too quickly.
- Place fried chicken on a wire rack instead of paper towels to keep the coating crisp.
- Make the gravy separately and add it just before serving so the chicken stays crispy.
- If the gravy thickens too much, whisk in a splash of cream or milk to loosen it.
- Store leftovers with the gravy separate to prevent the coating from getting soggy.
Nutrition
Commonly Asked Questions
Most country fried chicken recipes use thin chicken cutlets or chicken breasts coated, fried until crispy, and served with white gravy. This version uses a seasoned coating and a creamy white gravy with heavy cream.
People often use the names the same way. Both usually mean boneless chicken that gets breaded, fried, and served with creamy gravy. It is similar to chicken fried steak, but uses chicken instead of beef.
The oil may not be hot enough, you may have moved the chicken too soon, or steam may have softened the coating after frying. Use a wire rack after frying to help keep the breading crisp.
This usually happens when the coating does not have enough time to set, the chicken has too much moisture, or the oil temperature drops too low. Press the coating onto the chicken, let it rest before frying, and avoid flipping it too early.
Yes. If you do not have buttermilk, you can use milk with a little vinegar or lemon juice. It will not be exactly the same, but it still helps tenderize the chicken and gives the coating something to cling to.
White gravy is the classic choice. This recipe uses a creamy white gravy made with heavy cream, seasoning, and a cornstarch slurry so it thickens quickly and stays smooth.
Keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F. Oil that runs too cool can make the chicken greasy. Oil that gets too hot can brown the outside before the chicken cooks through.
You can fry the chicken ahead and reheat it in the oven or air fryer to bring back the crispiness. For best results, store and reheat without the gravy, then add the gravy right before serving.
Good evening, I would love to make this, but I’m wondering what your SPG seasoning is. When I click on the link, it says the page is not found and when I’m on your website trying to search for it it does not come up.
Hello, SPG is Salt, Peper, Garlic.
Here is a link: https://amzn.to/3S0nhlW