Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Favorite Southern Pan-Fried Chicken

By
Alexander Smalls
Chef Alexander Smalls
Alexander Smalls
Alexander Smalls is an iconic figure in American cooking and a world-renowned opera singer. He is the former chef-owner of Café Beulah, the Cecil (named the best new restaurant in America by Esquire magazine in 2014), and three other NYC restaurants. He is the author of three books: Grace the Table; Between Harlem and Heaven (co-authored with JJ Johnson and Veronica Chambers), which won the 2019 James Beard award for Best American Cookbook; and Meals, Music, and Muses (co-authored with Veronica Chambers), named a best book of the year by Esquire magazine.
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Updated on 12/28/22
Tested by
Kiana Rollins
Kiana Rollins
Tested by Kiana Rollins
Kiana is a recipe tester with a background in Marketing in the food media world, who strongly believes that cocktails and great conversation are essential sides for any good meal.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Favorite Southern Pan-Fried Chicken on a platter

The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 45 mins
Marinate Time: 2 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 16 pieces
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1150 Calories
65g Fat
35g Carbs
99g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 1150
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 65g 84%
Saturated Fat 16g 82%
Cholesterol 302mg 101%
Sodium 1125mg 49%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 99g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 136mg 10%
Iron 6mg 35%
Potassium 937mg 20%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Nothing says Southern Sunday dinner, after a glorious church sermon, like a platter of crispy golden fried chicken. And nobody loved fried chicken more than Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It epitomized his love for the food and traditions of his heritage…simple good eating was how he saw it.

In my most recent cookbook, Meals Music and Muses, this dish takes center stage as a treasured delicacy… An African Americans' eatable legacy to be enjoyed anytime the spirit hits you.

“ The nostalgia that comes from enjoying a fried chicken dinner after church will always bring a smile to my face and stomach. This recipe is worth highlighting, not just because of its historical value but also because fried chicken is comfort food. You can feel the love with each bite and dab of hot sauce." – Kiana Rollins

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Favorite Southern Pan-Fried Chicken/Tester Photo
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 (3-pound) whole chickens, cut into 8 pieces each

For Marinade

  • 2 cups buttermilk

  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder, more to taste

  • 1 tablespoon onion powder, more to taste

  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, more or less to taste

  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika, more to taste

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Frying

Steps to Make It

Marinate the chicken:

  1. Gather the ingredients. Rinse the chicken pieces under cool water and pat dry.

    Chicken in a bowl and marinade ingredients in bowls

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, paprika, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Add the chicken and toss until coated.

    Chicken and marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

    Chicken and marinade in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Fry the chicken:

  1. Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Place on a platter or plate (discard the marinade). Let the chicken come to room temperature. Meanwhile, gather the remaining ingredients.

    Fried chicken ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  2. Fill a large cast-iron skillet halfway with oil. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350 F.

    Oil in a cast iron skillet on a burner, with a thermometer

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  3. Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a wide rimmed plate and. Stir to combine.

    Flour, salt and pepper in a bowl with a fork

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  4. Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess and transfer to another plate or platter.

    Marinated chicken dipped in flour and placed on a plate

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  5. Once the oil has reached the right temperature, working in batches to avoid crowding the skillet, add the chicken and fry, undisturbed, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes (smaller pieces may need less time).

    Chicken frying in a cast iron skillet with oil, on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  6. Turn the pieces and fry, undisturbed, until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 F, 5 to 6 minutes more (larger pieces may need more time). Adjust the heat to maintain the oil temperature, if necessary.

    Chicken frying in a cast iron skillet with oil, on a burner

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

  7. Drain on a crumpled brown paper bags, paper towels, or a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle lightly with salt as chicken drains. Serve immediately.

    Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Favorite Southern Pan-Fried Chicken on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Chistruga

Fried Chicken Origins

A combination of West African batter frying in palm oil and Scottish flour frying in animal fat is how we arrived at the recipe for fried chicken that is prevalent today. Fried Chicken was a Southern dish that traveled from the African American communities to main street White America.


Some say that the negative stereotypes about black people and fried chicken can be traced to D. W. Griffith’s 1915 film Birth of a Nation. Many of these images were a direct parallel to Jim Crow images and ignorant impressions that belittled us and compromised our dignity. Even though we loved fried chicken and all the great dishes that went with it, there was the impression that by eating it, you were supporting the less-than-favorable concept White America had created for you. Shame is the gift that keeps on giving, from slavery to racism and discrimination.


But when you step away from the stereotypes, there’s a lot to love in the memories of fried chicken. In the days when blacks couldn’t eat at every restaurant, black folks who traveled packed themselves a “shoebox lunch.” I dare say there isn’t a Southerner alive born before 1960 who didn’t know someone who always made one. I love my version, served high or low: on silver platters or a picnic blanket, this is a dish that’s bound to satisfy.


Excerpted MEALS, MUSIC, AND MUSES: Recipes From My African American Kitchen by Alexander Smalls with Veronica Chambers. Copyright © 2020 by Alexander Smalls. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved.