Food and Recipes Dish Fried Chicken Freight House Fried Chicken 5.0 (1) 1 Review The original recipe from a beloved Paducah restaurant. By Sara Bradley Published on November 30, 2023 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman Active Time: 1 hr 15 mins Marinate Time: 4 hrs Total Time: 5 hrs 45 mins Servings: 4 to 8 Jump to Nutrition Facts This recipe comes courtesy of Sara Bradley, executive chef and owner of Freight House restaurant in Paducah, Kentucky. Part of what makes her fried chicken so special is how the breading becomes so beautifully craggy and crisp, clinging perfectly to the meat and skin. The meat itself is wonderfully moist and tender, just ever so slightly perfumed with hot sauce throughout. A sprinkling of salt over top right out of the hot oil makes this chicken savory perfection. And don’t worry, this recipe is super accessible and possible to prep ahead. The meat even benefits from a longer sit in the marinade and the flour mixture can be mixed in advance, so it’s ready for breading whenever you are. Especially for those who are new to frying at home, make sure to keep an eye on the temperature of the oil as you go—it will drop significantly once the chicken is added. Ingredients 2 cups whole buttermilk 1/4 cup hot sauce 3 1/2 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste 8 (about 4 lb. total) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, trimmed 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 Tbsp. granulated garlic 1 Tbsp. granulated onion 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper Canola oil, for frying Directions Whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the salt in a large ziplock plastic bag; add chicken thighs. Remove excess air from bag; seal bag, and place in a baking dish or on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in refrigerator, and let marinate at least 4 hours or preferably up to 12 hours. Whisk together flour, granulated garlic, granulated onion, paprika, cayenne, and remaining 2 tablespoons salt in a large bowl. Set aside. Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with oil to a depth of 2 1/2 inches, making sure there’s enough room to add chicken without oil overflowing. Heat oil over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer registers 355°F. Place a wire rack over a baking sheet; set aside. Drain chicken; do not pat dry. Dredge each thigh in flour mixture to thoroughly coat; reserve remaining flour mixture. Discard remaining marinade in bag. Transfer chicken thighs to prepared wire rack; let stand 5 minutes. Working in 4 batches, dredge 2 thighs lightly in flour mixture again, and carefully add to hot oil. (Temperature of oil will gradually start to drop.) Adjust heat as needed to reduce oil temperature to 325°F, and cook chicken until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chicken registers 160°F, 8 to 12 minutes. Using tongs, remove chicken from oil, and let drain on a clean wire rack placed over a clean rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt to taste. Return oil to 355°F over medium-high. Repeat process with remaining chicken and flour mixture. Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 4174 Calories 255g Fat 54g Carbs 435g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 4 to 8 Calories 4174 % Daily Value * Total Fat 255g 327% Saturated Fat 77g 383% Cholesterol 2329mg 776% Sodium 4878mg 212% Total Carbohydrate 54g 20% Dietary Fiber 2g 8% Total Sugars 3g Protein 435g 869% Vitamin C 3mg 3% Calcium 286mg 22% Iron 22mg 120% Potassium 4836mg 103% *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.