Fried Chicken and White Gravy

Fried Chicken and White Gravy is classic comfort food that never gets old. Crispy chicken with creamy pepper gravy makes this recipe perfect for dinner any night of the week. The seasoned coating gives the chicken a crunchy texture, while the homemade white gravy adds rich flavor in every bite.

Ingredients

For the Fried Chicken

  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (5 to 6 oz each)
  • Canola oil, for frying

For the White Gravy

  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

Instructions

Prepare the Chicken

  1. In a shallow dish, combine the flour, parsley, thyme, black pepper, and salt.
  2. Pour the buttermilk into a second shallow dish.
  3. Coat each chicken breast in the flour mixture, dip into the buttermilk, then coat again in the flour mixture.
  4. Place the coated chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and chill for at least 5 minutes.

Fry the Chicken

  1. Heat about 1/4 inch of canola oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  2. Fry the chicken for about 6 minutes on the first side until golden brown.
  3. Flip and cook another 5 to 6 minutes until fully cooked through and crispy.
  4. Transfer the chicken to a plate and loosely cover with foil.
  5. Carefully pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the pan.

Make the White Gravy

  1. In the same pan, cook the garlic over medium-high heat for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  2. Whisk in the flour and black pepper.
  3. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking constantly to keep the gravy smooth.
  4. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened.
  5. Stir in the fresh thyme.

Serve

Spoon the warm white gravy over the crispy fried chicken and serve immediately.

Notes

Serve with mashed potatoes, biscuits, or green beans for a full Southern-style meal.

Use chicken thighs if you want even juicier fried chicken.

Keep whisking the gravy while cooking to prevent lumps.