Classic Southern Fried Chicken with Braised Collard Greens
Classic Southern Fried Chicken with Braised Collard Greens
Ingredients
For the Fried Chicken
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, a mix of drumsticks and thighs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or enough to fill pot 2-3 inches deep
For the Braised Collard Greens
- 2 pounds collard greens, fresh, tough stems removed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 smoked ham hock, about 1 pound, or 1/2 pound smoked turkey leg
- 1 yellow onion, medium, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place chicken in a large bowl and pour buttermilk over it, ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably 2-4 hours, to tenderize.
⏱️ 30 min
- 2
Prepare the collard greens: While chicken marinates, thoroughly wash collard greens, removing any dirt. Remove tough stems and chop the leaves into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min
- 3
Start the collard greens: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add the ham hock and enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove ham hock, discard the water, and clean the pot. This step helps remove excess salt and impurities from the ham hock.
⏱️ 35 min
- 4
Continue collard greens: Return the cleaned pot to medium heat. Add the ham hock, chopped onion, and minced garlic. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a simmer.
⏱️ 10 min
- 5
Braise the greens: Add the chopped collard greens to the pot. It will look like a lot, but they will cook down. Stir to combine with the liquid and ham hock. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the greens are very tender. Stir occasionally. The 'pot liquor' (broth) should be flavorful.
⏱️ 120 min
- 6
Prepare dredging mixture: In a large, shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Whisk or shake to combine thoroughly.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Dredge the chicken: Remove chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Do not rinse. Dredge each piece of chicken generously in the flour mixture, pressing to ensure it's fully coated. Place coated chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This helps the coating adhere better.
⏱️ 20 min
- 8
Heat oil for frying: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, pour in the vegetable oil to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 9
Fry the chicken: Carefully place 3-4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for about 6-8 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature around 325-350°F (160-175°C).
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 325
- 10
Drain and keep warm: Remove fried chicken with tongs and place on a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining chicken. If needed, keep fried chicken warm in an oven set to 200°F (93°C) while finishing batches.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 200
- 11
Finish collard greens: Once tender, remove the ham hock from the greens. Shred any meat from the ham hock and return it to the pot, discarding the bone and skin. Taste the greens and pot liquor, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. A splash more apple cider vinegar can brighten the flavor.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Serve: Arrange the crispy fried chicken and tender collard greens on plates. Serve immediately, ensuring to spoon plenty of the flavorful pot liquor over the greens.
⏱️ 5 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Classic Southern Fried Chicken with Braised Collard Greens
Ingredients
For the Fried Chicken
- 3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, a mix of drumsticks and thighs
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more, to taste
- 4 cups vegetable oil, for frying, or enough to fill pot 2-3 inches deep
For the Braised Collard Greens
- 2 pounds collard greens, fresh, tough stems removed, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 1 smoked ham hock, about 1 pound, or 1/2 pound smoked turkey leg
- 1 yellow onion, medium, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place chicken in a large bowl and pour buttermilk over it, ensuring all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or preferably 2-4 hours, to tenderize.
⏱️ 30 min - 2
Prepare the collard greens: While chicken marinates, thoroughly wash collard greens, removing any dirt. Remove tough stems and chop the leaves into 1-inch pieces. Set aside.
⏱️ 15 min - 3
Start the collard greens: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, add the ham hock and enough water to cover it. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove ham hock, discard the water, and clean the pot. This step helps remove excess salt and impurities from the ham hock.
⏱️ 35 min - 4
Continue collard greens: Return the cleaned pot to medium heat. Add the ham hock, chopped onion, and minced garlic. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion is softened and translucent. Add the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and red pepper flakes (if using). Bring to a simmer.
⏱️ 10 min - 5
Braise the greens: Add the chopped collard greens to the pot. It will look like a lot, but they will cook down. Stir to combine with the liquid and ham hock. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until the greens are very tender. Stir occasionally. The 'pot liquor' (broth) should be flavorful.
⏱️ 120 min - 6
Prepare dredging mixture: In a large, shallow dish or resealable plastic bag, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Whisk or shake to combine thoroughly.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Dredge the chicken: Remove chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Do not rinse. Dredge each piece of chicken generously in the flour mixture, pressing to ensure it's fully coated. Place coated chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet and let it rest for at least 15 minutes. This helps the coating adhere better.
⏱️ 20 min - 8
Heat oil for frying: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, pour in the vegetable oil to a depth of 2-3 inches. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 9
Fry the chicken: Carefully place 3-4 pieces of chicken into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for about 6-8 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C). Adjust heat as needed to maintain oil temperature around 325-350°F (160-175°C).
⏱️ 20 min•🌡️ 325 - 10
Drain and keep warm: Remove fried chicken with tongs and place on a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. Sprinkle lightly with a pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining chicken. If needed, keep fried chicken warm in an oven set to 200°F (93°C) while finishing batches.
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 200 - 11
Finish collard greens: Once tender, remove the ham hock from the greens. Shred any meat from the ham hock and return it to the pot, discarding the bone and skin. Taste the greens and pot liquor, adjusting salt and pepper as needed. A splash more apple cider vinegar can brighten the flavor.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Serve: Arrange the crispy fried chicken and tender collard greens on plates. Serve immediately, ensuring to spoon plenty of the flavorful pot liquor over the greens.
⏱️ 5 min