This 44 years fried chicken spice mix has 14 herbs and spices. It’s the best Southern seasoning for chicken. Keep reading to see the fried chicken seasoning mix recipe for fried chicken and another for a full cup recipe just for your spice jar. This is a part of the Seasonings & Rubs, Condiments & Flavorings, Chicken, Stove Top Recipes, Fast Food, & Game Day categories.

Southern Fried Chicken Seasoning Mix Recipe

This is the final, ultimate selection of 14 herbs and spices for your spice jar. It's perfect to be ready easily for your next fried chicken meal.

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Prep: 12

Total: 12

Servings: cup

Calories: 511kcal

Author: Jeff Baygents

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Ingredients

4 Tbsp Garlic Powder
4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
8 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
3 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp cayenne red pepper
1⅓ Tbsp paprika
1⅓ Tbsp onion powder
½ Tbsp celery flakes or celery seed
½ Tbsp sage
½ Tbsp allspice
½ Tbsp oregano
½ Tbsp marjoram
½ Tbsp thyme
¼ Tbsp basil

Instructions

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a bowl and then add into a spice or mason jar. Store or use to fry chicken (next steps).
Flour Bowl: For every 1 pound of chicken, thoroughly mix 1 cup flour into a bowl with 3 mildly heaping tablespoons of chicken seasoning mix. Also, for every pound of chicken, mix in ½ Tbsp baking powder and 1 Tbsp corn starch.
Buttermilk Bowl: For every 1 pound of chicken, mix 1 cup buttermilk, ¼ tsp red pepper, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp garlic powder.
Make a Frying Production Line: Preheat large skillet with ½-inch vegetable oil or peanut oil on medium heat. Also, line up seasoned buttermilk bowl, then seasoned flour bowl, and to be near frying pan.
Frying Chicken: Drench each piece of chicken into buttermilk bowl and then into seasoned flour bowl. Fry & turn each piece every few minutes. Ensure internal meat temp reaches 165°F. Keep temp modest to prevent crust burning before meat is cooked. Boneless chicken strips takes me about 5-8 minutes per side. Bone-in chicken breasts take me about 12-15 minutes per side. When done, drain on paper towels and serve.

Notes

This is perfect for a little over 1 cup of this Southern fried chicken seasoning blend. Keep it ready in your large spice jar for fried chicken anytime. This is good for a total of about 8 pounds of frying chicken. So, that’s about 3 mildly heaping tablespoons for each pound of chicken.

Use the <Recipe Resizer> to make more or less than 1 cup.

Nutrition

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SOURCE: DarnGoodRecipes.com™

44 Years Origination of Fried Chicken Spice Mix

I learned a lot about fried chicken when I lived in New Orleans in the late 1970s. I worked at Morrison’s Cafeteria in Management and visited Popeye’s Fried Chicken headquarters. After that, over the decades, I worked through this Southern seasoning for chicken recipe and finalized it in 2023, 44 years later.

How I Make Southern Fried Chicken with this Seasoning Mix

Initially, I used this to make my Southern Fried Chicken Strips Recipe. Then, I developed it further to work also with regular Southern fried chicken for breasts, thighs, wings, and legs. It’s perfect when you get all the chicken parts or if you just cut up a whole chicken.

Step 1. Make the Fried Chicken Spice Mix

First, I’ll pull out all the 14 herbs and spices. Then, I’ll look to ensure I have enough of each to make the amount I want. So, this chicken seasoning recipe makes a little over a cup, which I fit easily in a short mason jar.

adding fried chicken spice mix in a mason jar like a spice jar — Adding fried chicken spice mix in a mason jar like a spice jar

Then, I’ll mix all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl so I can stir it up well with a fork. After it’s added to the spice jar, I’m ready to prepare the seasoning bowls.

Step 2. Get the Skillet Ready

I’ll use a large frying pan or skillet and start by pouring about 1/2 inch of peanut oil in it. You can use a vegetable oil. In the old days, we used Crisco shortening. Lol. Then, I’ll start to preheat it at medium heat setting.

preheating oil for frying seasoned chicken in a skillet with splatter screen — Preheating oil for frying seasoned chicken in a skillet with splatter screen

It takes about 10 minutes to be ready. Also, I set a splatter screen over it and I pull out the meat thermometer now.

Step 3. Make the Seasoned Buttermilk Bowl

If I didn’t marinate the chicken in the seasoned buttermilk overnight, I’ll prepare that bigger bowl now. For every pound of chicken, I use about 1 cup of buttermilk, ¼ tsp red pepper, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp garlic powder.

no waiting or marinating chicken in seasoned buttermilk bowl — No waiting or optionally marinating chicken in seasoned buttermilk bowl

After I stir up that mixture, I’ll put all the chicken pieces in it and ensure everything’s coated.

Step 4. Make the Seasoned Flour Bowl

In the last mixing bowl, for every pound of chicken, I use about 1 cup of flour, 3 mildly heaping tablespoons of seasoning mix, ½ Tablespoon baking powder, and 1 Tablespoon corn starch.

seasoned flour bowl for frying chicken after drenching — Seasoned flour bowl for frying chicken after drenching

Step 5. Fry the Chicken

Now, after the oil’s hot, I line things up to make a fried chicken production line. So, on the counter next to the hot oil fry skillet, I put the dry mix bowl (seasoned flour). Then, next to that, I’ll place the larger wet mix bowl (buttermilk with chicken).

Then, I’ll take out the larger pieces of chicken first, one at a time, from the buttermilk bowl. I’ll coat it thoroughly in the seasoned flour and lower it into the hot oil frying skillet. Then, I’ll repeat these steps using the remaining next largest pieces until skillet is nearly full.

adding coated chicken pieces into hot oil skillet for fried chicken — Adding coated chicken pieces into hot oil skillet for fried chicken

I never turn anything over until at least the first 5 minutes. Sometimes, I need a spatula to scrape the pieces off the bottom to turn over. I keep the oil temp between 325-350 F, which is lower than a typical deep fat fryer, which is often 375-390 F.

After the pieces cook for initial 5 minutes and then turned over for about 2-3 minutes, I’ll check the internal temp. Use a meat thermometer to confirm the meat interior temp is at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

frying chicken ready to turn over when edges are browned — Frying homemade chicken tenders ready to turn over when edges are browned

If I’m cooking fried chicken tenders (strips) that I made and coated here, it takes about 5-8 minutes each side. That’s if they’re about 1/2-inch thick. As each piece is cooked, I’ll place them in a bowl or baking sheet lined in paper towels to drain and serve. If cooking several sets of chicken, I’ll keep them warm in the microwave (keep warm feature) or oven but with no paper towels.

Conclusion

You’ve now seen how to make this incredible fried chicken spice mix as well as use it in the Southern fried chicken recipe. Also, you’ve read quite a few tips along the way about cooking timing, marinating as an option, and temperature guidance. Enjoy confidently planning this Southern seasoning for chicken on your next family meal or picnic. Like all seasonings, it lasts a long time, so I always keep about 1 cup on hand so I don’t have to pull out those 14 herbs and spices as often.

Tell me in a comment how yours went, if you made any changes, and don’t forget to share it!

Fried Chicken Spice Mix: 14 Herbs & Spices