This sourdough fried chicken is packed with flavor, bringing back the memories of your mama’s or grandmother’s homemade fried chicken but with a healthy twist for a guilt free comfort food. Despite the name, this chicken can be fried or baked making for one of our family’s favorite fast foods on busy days.
I recently showed making dinner one night and it was this sourdough fried chicken that I made. Or should I say “fried”. It was actually baked for time’s sake but nonetheless delicious!
On busy weeknights when we have garden and farm chores to do, the baby to entertain and other work to be done I am looking for hands off meals that are still made with my healthy ingredients. This is such an easy one because it can be as hands on or hands off as you want to make it.
I always have sourdough starter on hand and since this does not need to be active starter, it makes it super easy to batter some chicken (which I also always have on hand) and make some good ‘ole country comfort food.
I am a big proponent of comfort food made with quality ingredients. This allows us to be nourished by our favorite foods rather than feel guilty for eating them. As long as I have chicken thawed- which I try to pull out at the beginning of every week- I can have a meal on the table pretty quick.
This can be fried in cast iron and a good quality fat such as avocado oil, coconut oil or lard for a traditional fried chicken. Or it can be thrown into the oven and baked for a hands off dinner. Coat in sourdough bread crumbs or einkorn flour for an additional delicious touch that is still nourishing. Pair with some sauerkraut, a salad and some potatoes and you are getting the ultimate country dinner.
I love my country, southern food and I refuse to give it up. Using quality and healthy ingredients to make classic dishes is my favorite way to cook.
My favorite thing about this is that it is an easy meal when you have no inspiration or motivation to be in the kitchen. I always have sourdough starter and eggs from our chickens on hand and I *try* to pull meat out to thaw at the beginning of every week. You do not even have to measure this and if I am being honest, I had to measure once just for this post. I normally just throw it together in a bowl and call it good.
But my second favorite thing about this meal is the different options for the sourdough batter. Sure, you can coat in the sourdough then add flour and this is delicious but it is not fully fermented. If you are looking for the healthiest and easiest to digest, try using coating in sourdough bread crumbs (I share my sourdough recipe here) rather than the flour. It adds another depth of flavor with the double sourdough combo and it gets really crispy with the breadcrumbs. It definitely takes the chicken up a notch. You could also sub the flour for einkorn flour. So many options!
Sourdough Chicken
Ingredients
Any chicken of your choosing. Chicken breast, thigh or tenderloins all will do. Bone in adds more flavor.
Sourdough starter
Egg
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Sourdough bread crumbs or flour
High quality oil or fat (if frying)
Sourdough Fried Chicken
Add a few inches of oil to a cast iron skillet and begin heating the oil on the stove.
Add 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1 egg, 1 T paprika, 1 T salt and 1/2 T pepper to mixing bowl and mix with a fork.
In another flat dish add flour or sourdough bread crumbs.
Pat dry and add all chicken pieces into bowl with sourdough batter. Be sure they are evenly coated and add more if needed.
Take one at a time and lay the battered chicken into the flour or bread crumbs ensuring they are evenly coated.
Add chicken in a single layer to the cast iron skillet being sure not to crowd pan. If you have thick pieces of chicken or bone in chicken, I recommend cutting a slit in the thick parts to help it cook thoroughly.
Fry on each side until brown and crispy.
Be sure to check that chicken has reached 165 degrees and is fully cooked.
Sourdough Baked Chicken
Grease a cast iron or glass dish with butter, generously.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1 egg, 1 T paprika, 1 T salt and 1/2 T pepper to mixing bowl and mix with a fork.
In another flat dish add flour or sourdough bread crumbs.
Add all chicken pieces into bowl with sourdough batter. Be sure they are evenly coated and add more if needed.
Take one at a time and lay the battered chicken into the flour or bread crumbs ensuring they are evenly coated.
Add all to the greased baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes- 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Flip halfway through the cooking time being careful if it the batter sticks.
You can bake an additional 5-10 minutes at 475 degrees for an extra crispy crust.
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Cooking From Scratch The Simple Way
Sourdough Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- Any chicken of your choosing. Chicken breast, thigh or tenderloins all will do. Bone in adds more flavor.
- Sourdough starter
- Egg
- Salt
- Pepper
- Paprika
- Sourdough bread crumbs or flour
- High quality oil or fat (if frying)
Instructions
Sourdough Fried Chicken
Add a few inches of oil to a cast iron skillet and begin heating the oil on the stove.
Add 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1 egg, 1 T paprika, 1 T salt and 1/2 T pepper to mixing bowl and mix with a fork.
In another flat dish add flour or sourdough bread crumbs.
Pat dry and add all chicken pieces into bowl with sourdough batter. Be sure they are evenly coated and add more if needed.
Take one at a time and lay the battered chicken into the flour or bread crumbs ensuring they are evenly coated.
Add chicken in a single layer to the cast iron skillet being sure not to crowd pan. If you have thick pieces of chicken or bone in chicken, I recommend cutting a slit in the thick parts to help it cook thoroughly.
Fry on each side until brown and crispy.
Be sure to check that chicken has reached 165 degrees and is fully cooked.
Sourdough Baked Chicken
Grease a cast iron or glass dish with butter, generously.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add 1/2 cup sourdough starter, 1 egg, 1 T paprika, 1 T salt and 1/2 T pepper to mixing bowl and mix with a fork.
In another flat dish add flour or sourdough bread crumbs.
Add all chicken pieces into bowl with sourdough batter. Be sure they are evenly coated and add more if needed.
Take one at a time and lay the battered chicken into the flour or bread crumbs ensuring they are evenly coated.
Add all to the greased baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes- 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Flip halfway through the cooking time being careful if it the batter sticks.
You can bake an additional 5-10 minutes at 475 degrees for an extra crispy crust.