Cast-Iron Fried Chicken With Pan Gravy

Imperial June 23, 2026June 23, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes plus 4 hours marinating
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 15 minutes

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, 2 cups whole buttermilk, 1 tablespoon hot sauce, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Dredge: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Frying: 1 3/4 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
Pan gravy: 3 tablespoons pan drippings, 3 tablespoons reserved seasoned flour, 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, 1 cup whole milk, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Finish: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Do This

1. Marinate chicken in buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic powder for 4 hours in the refrigerator.
2. Heat oven to 400°F. Whisk the dredge ingredients together and reserve 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour for gravy before coating the chicken.
3. Dredge chicken well, pressing the flour mixture onto every piece. Rest coated chicken for 10 minutes.
4. Heat oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet to 350°F. Fry chicken in batches for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until deeply browned.
5. Transfer chicken to a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake for 18 to 25 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F for breast pieces and 175°F for thighs and drumsticks.
6. Make gravy in the skillet with 3 tablespoons drippings, reserved seasoned flour, chicken broth, milk, pepper, and salt. Serve with the hot chicken and parsley.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Deep cast-iron flavor: The skillet gives the chicken craggy, browned edges and that old-fashioned fried-chicken taste.
Crisp outside, juicy inside: A buttermilk soak tenderizes the chicken, while a hot oven finish cooks it through without over-darkening the crust.
Comforting pan gravy: The same skillet becomes the base for a simple peppery gravy full of browned bits and savory flavor.
Home-cook friendly: Shallow frying uses less oil than deep frying, and the oven finish makes doneness easier to manage.

Grocery List

Meat: 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, such as thighs, drumsticks, and halved split breasts
Produce: Fresh parsley
Dairy: Whole buttermilk, whole milk
Pantry: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, hot sauce, low-sodium chicken broth, neutral frying oil, fine sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme, cayenne pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Buttermilk-Marinated Chicken

3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, about 8 pieces total
2 cups whole buttermilk
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder

For the Seasoned Flour Dredge

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons fine sea salt
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For Frying

1 3/4 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil

For the Pan Gravy

3 tablespoons pan drippings from the cast-iron skillet
3 tablespoons reserved seasoned flour from the dredge mixture, set aside before coating the chicken
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
1 cup whole milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

For Serving

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Cast-Iron Fried Chicken With Pan Gravy – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Marinate the chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Add the chicken pieces and turn them until fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for exactly 4 hours. For best texture, you may marinate the chicken for up to 12 hours, but do not go longer than that or the coating can become too soft.

About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the bowl from the refrigerator. This takes the chill off the chicken so it fries more evenly. Do not leave the chicken at room temperature for longer than 30 minutes.

Step 2: Heat the oven and prepare the dredge

Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Place a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet. The wire rack keeps the chicken lifted so the crust stays crisp while the pieces finish cooking in the oven.

In a wide shallow dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 2 teaspoons fine sea salt, smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, dried thyme, and cayenne pepper. Before the raw chicken touches the flour mixture, scoop out exactly 3 tablespoons of the seasoned flour and place it in a small bowl for the gravy.

Step 3: Coat the chicken

Working with one piece at a time, lift the chicken from the buttermilk marinade and let the excess drip back into the bowl for 5 to 10 seconds. Place the chicken in the seasoned flour and press firmly so the coating clings to the skin and edges. Turn and press again until the piece is fully covered.

Transfer the coated chicken to a clean plate or tray. Let it rest for 10 minutes. This short rest hydrates the flour, helping it form a sturdy, craggy crust instead of falling off in the skillet.

Step 4: Heat the cast-iron skillet

Pour 1 3/4 cups neutral oil into a 12-inch cast-iron skillet. Set the skillet over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 350°F. Use a frying thermometer for the most reliable results. The oil should shimmer, and a pinch of flour should sizzle immediately when dropped in.

If the oil climbs above 360°F, reduce the heat slightly before adding the chicken. If it drops below 325°F during frying, increase the heat a little and give the oil a minute to recover between batches.

Step 5: Fry the chicken until deeply browned

Add half of the chicken pieces to the skillet, skin-side down, without crowding the pan. Fry for 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, until the crust is deep golden brown and crisp around the edges. Turn carefully with tongs and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on the second side.

The chicken will not be fully cooked yet; the goal here is to build a crisp, browned crust and let the cast iron create rich flavor. Transfer the browned pieces to the wire rack on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken, allowing the oil to return to about 350°F before the second batch goes in.

Step 6: Finish the chicken in the oven

Once all the chicken is browned and arranged on the wire rack, transfer the baking sheet to the 400°F oven. Bake for 18 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. Breast pieces are done when the thickest part reaches 165°F. Thighs and drumsticks are best when they reach 175°F, which makes the dark meat tender and juicy.

When done, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest on the rack for 10 minutes. Resting helps the juices settle and keeps the crust from steaming on a plate.

Step 7: Make the pan gravy

While the chicken rests, carefully pour the hot oil from the cast-iron skillet into a heat-safe bowl or measuring cup, leaving the browned bits in the skillet. Measure 3 tablespoons of the pan drippings back into the skillet. If there are any blackened crumbs, remove them with a spoon so the gravy tastes savory rather than bitter.

Set the skillet over medium heat. Whisk in the 3 tablespoons reserved seasoned flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture looks like a smooth tan paste and smells lightly toasted. Slowly whisk in the warm chicken broth, followed by the warm milk. Keep whisking until smooth.

Simmer the gravy for 4 to 6 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. The gravy should be creamy, peppery, and pourable.

Step 8: Serve hot

Arrange the chicken on a platter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Serve the gravy on the side or spoon it onto the plate underneath the chicken so the crust stays crisp. For a classic comfort-meal plate, serve with mashed potatoes, green beans, or buttered biscuits.

Pro Tips

Use a thermometer for both oil and chicken: Oil temperature controls the crust, and internal temperature controls juiciness. Keep the oil around 325°F to 350°F while frying.
Do not crowd the skillet: Too much chicken at once drops the oil temperature and can make the coating greasy instead of crisp.
Reserve gravy flour before dredging: Set aside the 3 tablespoons of seasoned flour before any raw chicken touches the dredge mixture.
Let the coating rest: The 10-minute rest after dredging helps the flour stick and creates a rough, crunchy crust.
Serve gravy beside the chicken: Spoon gravy under the chicken or serve it in a small pitcher if you want the crust to stay extra crisp.

Variations

Extra-peppery country gravy: Increase the black pepper in the gravy to 1 teaspoon for a bolder old-school flavor.
Herby skillet chicken: Add 1/2 teaspoon dried sage and 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley to the seasoned flour dredge.
Milder family-style version: Omit the cayenne pepper and use sweet paprika instead of smoked paprika.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover chicken and gravy in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat the chicken, place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and warm in a 375°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until hot and re-crisped. Reheat the gravy in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 4 to 6 minutes, whisking in 1 to 3 tablespoons of milk if it has thickened too much. For make-ahead prep, marinate the chicken up to 12 hours in advance and mix the dry dredge up to 2 days ahead; keep the dredge covered at room temperature and reserve the gravy flour before dredging the chicken.

Nutrition (per serving)