Southern fried chicken
Photo: Gatorfan252525 · CC BY-SA 4.0

History

Fried chicken is a foundational dish of African American Southern cooking, refined and codified across generations of Black women cooks. Edna Lewis (born in Freetown, west of Richmond) recorded the canonical Southern version in The Taste of Country Cooking (1976). Velma Johnson's Mama J's Kitchen in Jackson Ward has run the city's standard plate since 2009; Croaker's Spot on Hull Street in Manchester adds fried whiting alongside the chicken. Leah Branch at The Roosevelt frames her fried chicken in conversation with Virginia African American culinarians.

Book a food experience

Tours, tastings and classes from the cities on this page, bookable on GetYourGuide.

Browse every bookable food experience

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 25 minTotal 12 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
  • 500ml buttermilk
  • 2 tbsp hot sauce
  • 300g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tbsp paprika
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • Salt, black pepper
  • Neutral oil for frying

Method

  1. Combine buttermilk and hot sauce. Submerge chicken pieces and refrigerate at least 8 hours, ideally overnight.
  2. Mix flour with paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a wide bowl.
  3. Drain chicken pieces letting excess buttermilk drip off. Dredge each in seasoned flour, pressing to coat well.
  4. Heat oil to 175 C in a deep heavy pan. Fry chicken in batches until deeply golden and cooked through, about 12 to 15 minutes per batch.

Tip from the editors. The buttermilk brine is non-negotiable. Twelve hours minimum; the seasoning carries through to the bone.

Where to eat southern fried chicken

Southern fried chicken in Richmond

Mama J's Kitchen ★ 4.5

$$ Soul FoodJackson Ward

Mama J's Sunday brunch in Jackson Ward serves soul food at the family-table volume. Velma Johnson's kitchen pours sweet tea, runs the standard plate.

OrderFried chicken and waffle with sweet tea.

TipSunday morning is the family-dinner crowd; Saturday afternoon is the easier seat.

Directions

Croaker's Spot ★ 4.2

$ Soul foodManchester

Croaker's Spot on Hull runs a generous fried-fish plate at under fifteen dollars. Black-owned soul-food and seafood across the river since the 1990s.

OrderFried whiting plate under fifteen dollars.

TipLunch portions on the fish plates are the price-line; dinner adds a couple of dollars.

Directions

The Roosevelt ★ 4.6

$$ SouthernChurch Hill

The Roosevelt in Church Hill opens for Sunday brunch under chef Leah Branch, 2026 James Beard semifinalist. Southern cuisine, biscuits, deep menu.

OrderCountry ham biscuit with gravy.

TipBook the 11 am Sunday slot; the Roosevelt also runs an extended brunch sit-down upstairs.

Directions

All Richmond signature dishes →

More cities are in research. Want southern fried chicken covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

Browse all dishes →