Texas Roadhouse Country Fried Chicken [Copycat Recipe]
Besides pizza, fried chicken is probably my favorite fast food in the world. And one thing is for certain – I will order it every time I’m hesitant about what to eat. It became my comfort food since childhood, and it clearly didn’t change much since I’m writing a copycat recipe for Texas Roadhouse Country Fried Chicken!
Texas-style chicken is everything – it’s extra crispy and incredibly juicy; what more can one ask for, right? In the restaurant, they serve it drizzled with simple Béchamel sauce, so I did the same. For the side dish, I opted for my fave – baked potatoes topped with the special blend for a scrumptious taste. Are you ready for the recipe?
What You Get when You Order TR Country Fried Chicken?
Texas Roadhouse chicken is famous for its crunchy coating and buttery chicken, so the key to that relish is marinade. I submerge chicken into buttermilk and spices, and its slight acidity works magic in tenderizing the meat. Also, my secret to extra crispy chicken is a few layers of breading.
To complete the copycat recipe, don’t forget the famous white, silky, and buttery gravy to drizzle over. Fresh-from-the-oven baked potatoes with fresh topping are my favorite pair to add some softness and tang to the dish! Remember, the spices here are very simple, with only a trace of heat and garlicky relish.
How to Cook Texas Roadhouse Country Fried Chicken?
The ingredients for this recipe are probably not much different than the ones for your regular fried chicken recipe, yet the technique is what makes it unique. You can add more spices if you want, but these are the most similar to the original, though. Let’s make this amazing copycat recipe for Texas Roadhouse fried chicken!
- Chicken – I always go for chicken breasts because they are easiest to tenderize and fry.
- Buttermilk – This is an acidic ingredient, so it makes the meat soft and juicy. That’s why it’ll need a bit more time to marinate properly.
- Flour – I use all-purpose white flour for the first two layers of crust – it keeps the chicken juicy inside and adds up to the final crunch.
- Eggs – Eggs are there for the batter to stick better and nice golden color.
- Breadcrumbs – They are the final touch to get perfectly crunchy, brownish chicken.
- Spices and herbs – Here’s what you need to mix – salt, pepper, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and onion powder. I like to top potatoes with chives for a mild oniony relish.
- Potatoes – Use the bake-friendly variety so the inside is creamy and not crumbly.
- Sour cream – Sour cream is the chief filling for potatoes, as it provides a creamy texture and a bit of tang.
- Cheese – I went for cottage cheese this time because I wanted a lighter taste and compact mixture. In the Texas Roadhouse restaurant, they serve grated cheddar cheese, which is great but a bit pungent. You can go for whatever you feel like eating.
- Oil – Use any frying oil you fancy, I went for sunflower oil because of its neutral taste. For potatoes, opt for butter flakes.
Let’s bring a dash of Texas Roadhouse vibes to the kitchen table! ☺
Step 1: Marinating the Chicken
The first step to juicy and tender chicken breasts is marinating. Fillet the breasts into desirable size, I kept mine larger and beat them with the kitchen mallet. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.
In a large Tupperware, mix buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Immerse the chicken into the blend, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for 5-6 hours. I always do this in the morning, so it can be ready for lunch or dinner.
Step 2: Preparing the Potatoes
Bring your oven to 450 °F (230 °C). Take the potatoes and wash them thoroughly because you’re going to cook them in the skin. My trick is to use a new dish sponge and rub them well – they will be perfectly clean and smooth.
Tap potatoes dry with a dish or paper cloth. Take as many pieces of aluminum foil as you have potatoes. Take the fork and poke them all over the upside for them to induce the flavors better.
Sprinkle each one with salt to taste and top them with butter flakes. Wrap them securely into the foil and place them into the oven. Bake them for 45 minutes or an hour, depending on how big the potatoes are.
Step 3: Frying the Chicken
Breading the chicken is a messy job, but it’s so worth it! Place all-purpose flour in one and bread crumbs in the other plate. Salt them both a bit so they don’t taste bland.
Remove the chicken from the Tupperware, and mix the eggs into spicy buttermilk, so nothing will go to waste. Pour the sunflower oil into the nonstick skillet suitable for deep frying and heat the oil to medium temperature. Check the temperature by dipping the top of a wooden spoon – if the oil is bubbling around it, it’s heated enough.
Coat the chicken into the flour, then egg-buttermilk mix, and finish with breadcrumbs. I coat it twice in flour sometimes, but the breading is very thick like that – if you don’t like that, skip it. Fry the chicken until it forms a golden brown crust and the inner temperature is 165 °F (74 °C).
This will take about 5-8 minutes per piece. Repeat everything until you have no chicken left. Place the fillets onto paper cloth after frying so it absorbs the residual oil.
Step 4: Making the White Sauce
This is a classic Béchamel sauce, very easy to make. Soften butter over medium heat and add the flour. Whisk it constantly to achieve paste-like consistency and let it bubble a bit.
It will be slightly golden in approximately 2 minutes, and that’s the moment to pour in hot milk. Add salt and pepper to taste, mixing the gravy constantly. Simmer it lightly to desired consistency for 2 to 3 minutes more.
After removing the sauce from the stove, I usually cover it directly with baking paper or plastic foil. Otherwise, it will form a gooey film.
Tip: If you want to level up – add a handful of grated cheese, cheddar, parmesan, or any melty one you like.
Step 5: Final Preparations and Arranging
Mix up sour cream and cheese, plus season it with salt and pepper. Unwrap the potatoes from the foil, and cut it through the middle – but halfway (like shown in the picture). Spread potatoes a bit, just enough to create a space for the filling. Top it with a tablespoon (or more ☺) of the blend and a pinch of chives for a finishing touch.
Arrange everything on a large plate, and pour the gravy over the fried chicken. I like to serve it in a separate dish, though. Bon appetite!
![Texas Roadhouse Country Fried Chicken [Copycat Recipe]](https://juliescafebakery.com/wp-content/uploads/Texas-Roadhouse-Country-Fried-Chicken-Copycat-Recipe-731x1300.jpg)
How to Store Texas Roadhouse Country Fried Chicken?
If you’re saving potatoes for later, keep them wrapped in the foil. They can last in the fridge for three days. The sour cream topping will be good in the fridge for days; just store it in an airtight container. [1]
The chicken will be safe to eat for three days in the fridge, but the texture will be different. Even when you wrap it tightly in foil, the crust will become a bit soggy. To save the day, reheat it in the oven with the fan on, it won’t dry out significantly, and it will get back some of its signature crunch.
Would you like to see some more copycat recipes? Let me know in the comments below!
Texas Roadhouse Country Fried Chicken
Equipment
- nonstick skillet
- heavybottomed pot
Ingredients
For the Country Fried Chicken
- 20 oz chicken breasts
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup bread crumbs
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper (freshly grounded)
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
For Frying
- 17 oz sunflower oil
For the Baked Potatoes
- 5 potatoes
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp sour cream
- 2 tbsp cottage cheese
- 1 tbsp chives
Instructions
Marinating the Chicken
- Fillet the breasts into desirable size, and beat them with the kitchen mallet.
- Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper.
- In a large Tupperware, mix buttermilk, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Immerse the chicken into the blend, cover it tightly, and refrigerate it for 5-6 hours.
Preparing the Potatoes
- Bring your oven to 450 °F (230 °C).
- Take the potatoes and wash them thoroughly, because you’re going to cook them in the skin. My trick is to use a new dish sponge and rub them well – they will be perfectly clean and smooth.
- Tap potatoes dry with a dish or paper cloth. Take as many pieces of aluminum foil as you have potatoes.
- Take the fork and poke them all over the upside for them to induce the flavors better.
- Sprinkle each one with salt to taste and top them with butter flakes.
- Wrap them securely into the foil and place them into the oven. Bake them for 45 minutes or an hour, depending on how big the potatoes are.
Frying the Chicken
- Place all-purpose flour in one and bread crumbs in the other plate. Salt them both a bit, so they don’t taste bland.
- Remove the chicken from the Tupperware, and mix the eggs into spicy buttermilk.
- Pour the sunflower oil into the nonstick skillet suitable for deep frying and heat the oil to medium temperature. Check the temperature by dipping the top of a wooden spoon – if the oil is bubbling around it, it’s heated enough.
- Coat the chicken into the flour, then egg-buttermilk mix, and finish with breadcrumbs. You can coat it twice in flour, but the breading is very thick like so – if you don’t like that, skip it.
- Fry the chicken until it forms a golden brown crust and the inner temperature is 165 °F (74 °C). This will take about 5-8 minutes per piece.
- Repeat everything until you have no chicken left. Place the fillets onto paper towel after frying so it absorbs the residual oil.
Making the White Sauce
- Soften butter over medium heat and add the flour. Whisk it constantly to achieve paste-like consistency and let it bubble a bit.
- It will be slightly golden in approximately 2 minutes, and that’s the moment to pour in hot milk.
- Add salt and pepper to taste, mixing the gravy constantly. Simmer it lightly to desired consistency for 2 to 3 minutes more.
- Remove the sauce from the stove and cover it directly with baking paper or plastic foil.
Final Preparations and Arranging
- Mix up sour cream and cheese, and season it with salt and pepper.
- Unwrap the potatoes from the foil, and cut it through the middle – but halfway (like shown in the picture). Spread potatoes a bit, just enough to create a space for the filling.
- Top it with a tablespoon (or more ☺) of the blend and a pinch of chives for a finishing touch.
- Arrange everything on a large plate, and pour the gravy over the fried chicken. Bon appetit!
Nutrition
Before diving into the nutritional details, please review our Nutritional Disclaimer page for important context and clarifications.
