Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

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Something special happens when you marinate chicken in sweet tea then bread and fry until golden brown and crispiest. Seriously ain’t nothing like my sweet tea fried chicken. The sweet and savory vibes keep you guessing making things a little different from anything else you have ever tried before. Get into it!

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How to Make Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

For the Tea:

For the Chicken:

I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!

Serving suggestions

• A scoop of creamy, dreamy Southern Macaroni and Cheese offers a cheese-tastic cuddle to your taste buds.
• Southern Collard Greens bring home that smoky, hearty goodness.
• Don’t forget a hunk of Southern Cornbread , perfect for soppin’ up.
• Toss up some Black Eyed Peas for a savory side.
• Top that chicken with Chicken Gravy for a nice rich vibe.

Favorite Fried Recipes

• fried green tomatoes recipe
• Fried okra
• chicken fried steak recipe
• fried shrimp
• oven fried catfish
• fried onion rings

Find more Fried Chicken recipes like this recipe, click HERE

Comments

1. There is all kinds of flavor teas, what flavor did you use Reply Thanks for asking! I use regular black tea for this recipe. Lipton tea bags are my go-to, but Luzianne works great too. You don’t need any flavored teas here. The black tea gives the chicken its signature subtle sweetness and helps create that delicious flavor without overpowering the seasonings. I hope you give it a try. Happy cooking!

I’m Jocelyn!

I love taking my family’s cherished soul food recipes and adding my unique twist for new generations. Come on in and stay awhile!

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Sweet Tea Fried Chicken

Print Recipe

This Sweet tea fried chicken recipe is crunchy, incredibly flavorful and irresistible! Southern sweet tea becomes the perfect brine for a twist on classic fried chicken!

• Author: Maya Collins
• Prep Time: 2880 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 2905 mins
• Yield: 10 chicken pieces 1x
• Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 5 cups water
• 5 – 6 teabags
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
• 8 – 10 chicken pieces
• 3 large eggs
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Instructions

1. Heat water in a medium sized pot until boiling.
2. Turn off heat and add tea bags. Let tea steep for 20-30 minutes then remove bags.
3. Stir in sugar and lemon juice until completely dissolved then let tea come to room temperatue.
4. Add tea to large bowl then submerge chicken pieces in tea. Refrigerate for 24-48 hours depending on level of sweetness you want your chicken to have.
5. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together eggs and set aside.
6. Add flour, seasoned salt, cornstarch, paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder to a paper bag and shake to mix well.
7. Dip each piece of chicken into the seasoned floor coating both sides then into the egg wash coating both sides then dip into seasoned flour again thoroughly coating each piece. Then add piece to baking sheet to rest.
8. Finish coating all chicken and let sit for 15-20 minutes until coating has set.
9. While coating sets, add 1-1/2 inches of oil to a cast iron skillet or heavy bottom skillet and heat over medium high heat. Also turn on oven to 275 degrees.
10. This is my test for knowing when the oil is ready: Big Mama always tossed a tiny bit of flour in the oil and if it began to fry and sizzle, the oil was ready.
11. Fry four pieces at a time on each side starting with dark meat since it takes longer. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan.
12. After each side has turned slightly golden, put the top on the skillet to steam the inside of the chicken ensuring doneness. After a couple of minutes, remove the top and continue to fry until the crust is crispy again and completely golden brown.
13. Remove chicken from oil and place on paper towels or rack to drain. Place chicken on a baking sheet covered with parchment and add to warmed oven while finishing the other chicken pieces.
14. Fry the remaining chicken pieces and drain and add to oven. Add the remaining chicken to the oven.
15. Serve when ready.

Nutrition

• Calories: 408 kcal
• Sugar: 15 g
• Sodium: 2187 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 4 g
• Carbohydrates: 42 g
• Fiber: 1 g
• Protein: 22 g
• Cholesterol: 125 mg