Fuss-free, 5-ingredient Southern fried chicken

With a ranch dressing and buttermilk coating that delivers tender chicken underneath a crunchy skin, this easy and fuss-free southern fried chicken recipe is finger-licking good!

Ingredients

• 3-4 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken pieces such as breasts, legs, or leg quarters
• oil for frying
• 2 cups all-purpose flour*
• 1-2 packages ranch dressing mix*
• 1-2 cups buttermilk*

Instructions

1. Pour the oil to a depth of 1/4 – 1/2 an inch into a deep cast-iron skillet or dutch oven. Place in the oven and preheat to 450. It is very important that your skillet be in your oven while it preheats.
2. In a shallow dish, stir together flour and seasonings (either ranch dressing mix, salt and pepper, or seasonings of your choice).
3. In another shallow baking dish, pour about 1/4-inch of milk.
4. Dip each chicken piece in the milk to coat all sides, then into the flour mixture, then milk again, and flour mixture again. Place on a platter when done.
5. Five minutes after the oven is preheated, remove your skillet and carefully, (using tongs) place each piece of chicken in the skillet, positioning so that they don’t touch.
6. Return to oven for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, use tongs to flip each piece of chicken over, and return to oven for 15 minutes more.
7. Remove chicken and place on a paper towel-lined platter. Enjoy hot or cold.

Notes

*If you only have self-rising flour, that will work fine, too. You just may have to increase or decrease the amount depending on how many pieces of chicken you use.

*For plain seasoning, simply use 1 tablespoon of salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper.

*Any kind of milk will do. You may need to add more or less depending on how many pieces of chicken you use.