Cracker Barrel Sunday chicken is boneless breasts double dredged in seasoned flour with a buttermilk dip in between, deep fried at 350F, ready in 20 minutes. That makes this Cracker Barrel Sunday chicken recipe a weeknight version of a dish the restaurant only serves one day a week.
The order of the coating is what most people get wrong. Flour goes on first, onto chicken you have patted properly dry, and only then does the buttermilk go on, followed by flour again. Dip the wet chicken straight into buttermilk and there is nothing for the batter to grip, so the crust slides off in the oil.
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The buttermilk here is cut with half a cup of water, which is not something most fried chicken recipes do. Straight buttermilk clings too thick and gives you a heavy, gummy layer under the crust. Thinned down, it coats evenly and lets the two flour layers do the work.
Cracker Barrel Sunday Chicken
Course: DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes10
minutes503
kcalPounded chicken breasts run through seasoned flour, thinned buttermilk, then flour again, and deep fried until golden. The dry, wet, dry method that builds a thick crust without a batter.
Ingredients
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
- Heat the oil:Pour 3 to 4 inches of oil into a deep fryer or large pot and bring it to 350 degrees.
- Set up the coatings:Combine the flour, salt and pepper in one bowl. In a second bowl, stir the buttermilk together with the water.
- Prep the chicken:If the breasts are uneven, place them between two sheets of wax paper and pound them to a uniform thickness. Pat them dry with paper towel, then season with salt and pepper.
- Double dredge:Coat the chicken in the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Dip it into the buttermilk, then dredge it in the flour a second time.
- Fry and drain:Fry for about 7 to 8 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and cooked to 165F inside. Lift out and drain on a wire rack.
FAQs
Why did my breading fall off in the oil?
Three things cause it, and the first is skipping the pat dry step before the chicken touches the flour. The second is going into the oil immediately, so let the coated chicken sit for a few minutes and the flour will hydrate and stick. The third is flipping repeatedly, so turn each piece once and leave it alone.
Can you use a buttermilk substitute?
Powdered buttermilk rehydrated with water does not work here, and the author tested it. Fresh buttermilk is worth buying for this one, and a thick style like Borden’s Country Style gives the best coating. In a pinch, stir a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit a few minutes.
Can you make this in an air fryer?
Not as written, because a wet buttermilk coating slides off before it sets in circulating air. Swap the flour dredge for panko breadcrumbs and it becomes an air fryer recipe. You lose the layered crust that the double dredge builds, so treat it as a different dish rather than a substitution.
How does Cracker Barrel actually make it?
Someone identifying as a Cracker Barrel cook explained it in the comments on this recipe. The restaurant uses a pre-mixed seasoned breader with the spices already in it, thinned with water to make the wet layer, so the dry, wet and dry coats are all the same product. They fry at 350 to 375 for around 4 minutes, and the closest supermarket match is Auntie Anne’s chicken breader.
How do you store and reheat leftovers?
Cooled chicken keeps in an airtight container for 3 days and freezes for up to 3 months. An air fryer at 375F for 7 to 8 minutes brings the crust back best, with a 350F oven for 10 to 12 minutes close behind. Thaw frozen pieces fully before reheating, and skip the microwave unless you do not care about crispiness.
