My mother could put a hurtin’ on some fried chicken. She was a purist and used only a few ingredients to season the chicken, which was then fried in a black cast-iron skillet that had been her wedding present from my paternal grandmother. My parents married during the Great Depression, and it was the only thing that my grandmother had to give. I still use it on very special occasions.

Fried chicken is a very interesting thing in the African American world. Chickens are thought to have originated in Asia, probably on the Indian subcontinent. They may be the first domesticated bird, and are almost certainly descendents of the dinosaurs. Once chickens were domesticated, they migrated from the subcontinent through the Middle East into the Mediterranean basin and from there to Europe. Some, though, feel that their journey to the New World may have taken a different route and that they may have arrived here with Polynesians before Columbus’s voyages. No matter how they got here, they were taken to heart and stomach by all. African Americans were not left out.

Cover: Kelly Marshall; Author: Pableaux Johnson

Recipe reprinted with permission from Braided Heritage: Recipes and Stories on the Origin of American Cuisine by Jessica B. Harris, copyright © 2025. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House. Photography copyright: Kelly Marshall © 2025

 

Serves 2 to 4

  • 2 cups rendered bacon fat, lard, or vegetable oil, for frying, plus more as needed
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 tablespoon Bell’s All-Natural Seasoning
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 whole chicken (3¼ to 4 pounds), cut into 8 pieces, patted dry

 

1. Line a wire rack with paper towels and set near the stove. In a large heavy cast-iron skillet, heat the fat to 325°F over medium-low heat. (Use a thermometer.) If you think all the chicken pieces won’t fit in the skillet at once, cook in batches, but turn the oven on to the warm setting or to the lowest temperature possible to keep the chicken warm.

2. In a large brown paper bag or plastic food storage bag, combine the flour, cornmeal, Bell’s Seasoning, and a few generous pinches of salt and pepper, as this will season the chicken. Add the chicken to the flour mixture a few pieces at a time. Shake well to ensure that each one is well coated and remove to a tray while you repeat with the rest of the chicken. Discard any remaining coating mixture in the bag.

3. Double-check the temperature of the oil and turn the heat up to medium-high. Arrange as many chicken pieces as will fit comfortably in the hot skillet without crowding and cook, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. If you’re unsure of the doneness, use a thermometer— it should read 165°F in the center of a piece; however, for juicier chicken, you may safely remove chicken from the pan at 155°F in the center, as carryover cooking will continue to cook the chicken for a few minutes. If you don’t have a thermometer, pierce the chicken to the bone with a small knife, if the juices run clear, the chicken is safe to eat.

4. Drain the cooked chicken for a minute or two on the paper towels. Adding more oil as needed, repeat with the remaining chicken if you are working in batches. Season the hot chicken with some more salt. Serve, or place in the oven to keep warm before serving.