Fried Chicken Blue Plate

Name: Fried Chicken Blue Plate
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3 lb Bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts); 4 cups Buttermilk brine; 2 cups Seasoned flour; 4 cups Vegetable shortening/oil

Buttermilk fried chicken, collards, mac & cheese, cornbread.

Developed and tested by The Neon Griddle test kitchenPublished August 1, 2026Last reviewed August 10, 2026Corrections

Prep: 15m
Cook: 25m
Serves: 4
Level: Hard

Ingredients

4servings

Bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts)3 lb
Buttermilk brine4 cups
Seasoned flour2 cups
Vegetable shortening/oil4 cups

Instructions

1
Brine & rest
Soak the chicken pieces in a salted buttermilk brine for 24 hours.
2
Dredge & bread
Dredge completely in heavily seasoned flour.
3
Fry crisp
Fry in a cast-iron skillet filled with shortening at a constant 325°F for 15-20 minutes.
4
Turn occasionally
Turn occasionally until the crust develops a dark, highly jagged texture and the internal temperature is safe.

Cook it safe

165°F / 74°C — All poultry, including ground chicken and turkey.

Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking — within 1 hour if the room is above 90°F / 32°C.
Reheat leftovers to 165°F / 74°C before serving.
Use a calibrated instant-read thermometer rather than color or cooking time to judge doneness.

Temperatures follow the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service safe minimum internal temperature chart.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimated

Calories: 1141
Fat: 70g
Carbs: 42g
Protein: 90g

Nutrition is estimated from the listed ingredients using standard reference values (USDA FoodData Central). 2 of 4 matched ingredients use verified FoodData Central entries (dictionary snapshot 2026-09-11). Brand, portion, and preparation differences can change the result. Frying fat is counted at the share typically absorbed, and brines drained before cooking are excluded. These figures are an estimate for general interest, not medical or dietary advice.

Equipment

Instant-read meat thermometer

This recipe has a target internal temperature, and color is not a reliable way to read it.

Also useful here

Cast iron skillet — Cast iron stores enough heat to keep searing when cold food hits it, which is what produces the crust.
Chocolate tempering thermometer — Tempering succeeds or fails on a couple of degrees, so a fast, accurate readout matters.

These are category recommendations chosen on the criteria above, not tested product picks — we do not run a product testing program. Links go to Amazon search results for the category. As an Amazon Associate, The Neon Griddle earns from qualifying purchases. Nothing here is required to cook the recipe.