Cracker Barrel chicken fried chicken is boneless breasts double dredged in seasoned flour and buttermilk, fried at 350F, then topped with bacon grease sawmill gravy, ready in 30 minutes. That makes this Cracker Barrel chicken fried chicken recipe a weeknight version of a dish that normally takes all Sunday afternoon.
The gravy is where most people lose this recipe. Two tablespoons of bacon grease and two tablespoons of flour cooked together for one minute make the roux, and you know it is ready when it smells like pie crust. Milk goes in while you whisk constantly, and the whole thing thickens off the heat, not on it.
The chicken underneath uses the same double dredge as chicken fried steak, which is how the dish got its name. Flour, buttermilk thinned with water, then flour again, with a rest on a wire rack before it touches the oil. That rest is the detail that keeps the crust on the chicken instead of floating off in the fryer.
Cracker Barrel Chicken Fried Chicken
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes20
minutes310
kcalPounded chicken breasts coated in seasoned flour, dipped in thinned buttermilk, floured again, then fried until golden and served under a bacon grease sawmill gravy. The gravy uses a two-ingredient roux that comes together in five minutes.
Ingredients
- For the sawmill gravy:
2 tablespoons bacon grease
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the chicken:
Oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Directions
- Pound the chicken:Place each breast between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even half inch with the flat side of a meat tenderizer. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Make the gravy:Melt the bacon grease in a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute until it smells like pie dough. Pour in the milk while whisking until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Set up the coatings:Combine the flour, salt and pepper in one wide bowl. In a second bowl, stir the buttermilk together with the water.
- Double dredge:Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Coat in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess, dip into the buttermilk, then dredge in the flour a second time. Rest the coated pieces on a wire rack while the oil heats.
- Fry and serve:Heat 3 to 4 inches of oil to 350F. Fry in batches for 7 to 8 minutes, turning once, until golden and cooked to 165F inside. Drain on a wire rack and serve with the gravy poured over the top.
FAQs
What is the difference between chicken fried chicken and regular fried chicken?
The name comes from the technique, not the protein. Chicken fried chicken is prepared exactly like chicken fried steak: boneless, pounded flat, double dredged, pan or deep fried, then smothered in white gravy. Regular fried chicken is bone-in pieces with a single coat, served dry. The gravy is what makes it chicken fried.
Can I use butter instead of bacon grease for the gravy?
Yes, and the author says cold butter is the substitute if you do not have bacon grease on hand. Butter gives you a milder, cleaner gravy, while bacon grease adds a smoky depth that is harder to replicate. Keep the heat at medium either way, since butter burns faster than rendered fat.
Why does the breading fall off when I fry it?
Three causes. The chicken was wet when the first layer of flour went on, the coated pieces went straight into the oil with no resting time, or you flipped them too many times. Pat the chicken dry, let the dredged pieces sit on a wire rack for a few minutes before frying, and turn each one only once.*
Can you make this in an air fryer?
The author says the texture will not match the original. A wet buttermilk coating needs full submersion in hot oil to set properly, and circulating air dries it out before the crust firms. If you want to air fry, swap the flour coating for panko breadcrumbs, but treat it as a different dish.
How do you store the chicken and gravy?
Store them separately. The chicken keeps in the fridge for 3 days and freezes for up to 2 months. The gravy keeps in the fridge but does not freeze well. Reheat the chicken in an air fryer or a 350F oven so the crust crisps back up, and warm the gravy gently on the stove with a whisk so it smooths out again.
