Tallow Fried Chicken (TFC): Taking It Up a Level

Alright, so you want to whip up some seriously good fried chicken? We’re talking next-level fried chicken here, and the secret? Cooking it in beef tallow. Seriously, it’s a game-changer.

Beef tallow—or beef fat, beef dripping, whatever you want to call it—is super popular right now. You see it everywhere on briskets and ribs because it makes them look nice and shiny and gives them a richer flavor. But honestly? It’s also really, really good for all types of frying.

In this post, I’m giving you a method for the best fried chicken. We’re adding layers of flavor at every single stage, so your chicken is flavorful all the way through, rather than just having tasty skin and bland meat.

Why You’ll Love This “TFC”

• The flavor depth: Frying in tallow adds an umami richness you just can’t get with neutral vegetable oil. It takes it to a different level.
• The “craggly” crust: A specific dredging method creates those little cornflake-looking pieces that shatter when you bite them.
• Juicy meat: We use a buttermilk soak to help tenderize the chicken so it stays moist inside while the outside gets crunchy.
• Versatility: You can easily swap in gluten-free flour (I’ve done it for my family, and honestly, I think it comes out even crispier).

What You’ll Need

Special Equipment

• Deep pot or Dutch oven (sturdy, with high sides)
• Thermometer (Thermapen or any instant-read)
• Wire rack for draining the chicken
• Whisk

The Chicken & Marinade

• 6–8 pieces chicken (mix of drumsticks and thighs, skin-on, bone-in)
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (Valentina’s, Cholula, or Frank’s)
• 1 tbsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• 100 ml buttermilk (about ½ cup)

The “Secret” Seasoning Flour (Bowl 3)

• 2 cups plain flour (can sub gluten-free flour)
• 2 tbsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp onion salt
• 1 tbsp granulated garlic
• 1 tbsp dried herbs (basil, thyme, oregano, crushed to a fine powder)
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1 tbsp gravy granules (fine powder, like Bisto)

Dredge Station Components

• Bowl 1 (Base Coat):
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 1 tsp each salt, black pepper, and Lawry’s (or to taste)
• Bowl 2 (Wet Batter):
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • 200 ml buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup water (to loosen as needed)
• Frying Fat:
  • Enough beef tallow to fill your pot 2–3 inches deep (never more than halfway up the pot).

Let’s Get Cooking!

1. Marinate for Maximum Flavor

Start off with chicken thighs and drumsticks. You aren’t just dipping them in flour; you are building a base.

In a large bowl, toss the chicken with the hot sauce and Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, then add about 100 ml of buttermilk. Toss to coat everything really well.

This serves two purposes: it keeps the chicken nice and moist, and the buttermilk helps tenderize the meat and carry flavor inside. Cover with cling film and pop that in the fridge for about 4–6 hours (you can go up to overnight).

2. Prep the Fat

Remove the chicken from the fridge about 45 minutes before cooking to take the chill off.

Heat your beef tallow in a large pot to 350°F (180°C). Use a thermometer and aim to keep the temperature as steady as you can; too low and it gets greasy, too hot and it burns.

3. Make the Seasoning Flour

In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour with all your spices (Lawry’s, paprika, onion salt, garlic, black and white pepper, ginger, mustard, dried herbs, and gravy granules).

The gravy granules add that savory “chicken/gravy” punch. Set this aside as Bowl 3.

4. Set Up the Three-Bowl Dredge Station

To get that “craggly” skin, we don’t just dip and fry. We set up a station:

• Bowl 1 (Base Coat): Mix 1 cup flour with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a little Lawry’s. This helps the skin grab onto everything else.
• Bowl 2 (Wet Batter): Whisk together 1 cup flour, 200 ml buttermilk, 2 eggs, and ½ cup milk. Add water slowly until the consistency is loose but batter-like, not pancake thick and not watery.
• Bowl 3 (The Flavor): Your seasoning flour from Step 3.

5. The Triple Dredge

Working one piece at a time:

1. Shake excess marinade off a chicken piece.
2. Dip into Bowl 1 (Base). Coat fully, then shake off excess.
3. Dip into Bowl 2 (Wet Batter), letting any big drips fall off.
4. Finally, place into Bowl 3 (Seasoning Flour).

6. The Squeeze (Critical Step!)

Here is the key to good fried chicken that people miss:

When you put the chicken in that final seasoning flour (Bowl 3), use a dry hand to firmly squeeze the flour into the chicken skin. Really pack it tight all around—on the sides, in every nook and cranny.

If you think you’re squeezing enough, you probably aren’t. Then gently tap off the excess. That is how you get that cornflake-style, craggly crust.

7. Fry

Carefully lower the coated chicken into the hot tallow. Do not overcrowd the pan—3–4 pieces per batch is ideal so you don’t drop the oil temperature too much.

• Drumsticks: Fry for about 16–17 minutes.
• Thighs: Fry for about 18 minutes.

Turn them occasionally so they brown evenly and the crust doesn’t burn on one side.

8. Check Temp & Finish

Fry until deep golden brown. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the thickest part of each piece reaches at least 165°F (74°C).

Transfer to a wire rack set over a tray. This keeps them crispy (paper towels can make the bottom soggy).

If doing multiple batches, you can keep cooked chicken warm in an oven at around 150°F (65–70°C) while you finish frying. Serve immediately with pickles and hot sauce.

check out more recipes

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• Unstuffed Cabbage Soup Will Warm Your Soul!
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• hot and Spicy Cabbage Soup
• Apricot Glaze Chicken

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Tallow Fried Chicken

Recipe by Sana ReiCourse: MainCuisine: American, BBQDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time per batch

20

minutes

Calories per serving (approximate, varies by piece size and brand of tallow)

650

kcal

Marinating Time

4 to 6

hours

Total time

5

hours 

50

minutes

This next-level fried chicken is marinated in buttermilk, triple-dredged for a super craggly crust, and fried in beef tallow for a deep, savory flavor you can’t get with neutral oil.

Ingredients

• Equipment Needed

• Dutch oven or deep fryer

• Instant-read thermometer

• 3 mixing bowls

• Wire cooling rack

• Tongs

• Ingredients
  Marinade

• 8 pieces chicken thighs and drumsticks (skin-on, bone-in)

• 2 tbsp hot sauce (e.g., Valentina’s)

• 1 tbsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

• 100 ml buttermilk

• Seasoning Flour (The Flavor – Bowl 3)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour)

• 2 tbsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt

• 2 tbsp paprika

• 1 tbsp black pepper

• 1 tbsp onion salt

• 1 tbsp granulated garlic

• 1 tsp white pepper

• 1 tsp ground ginger

• 1 tsp mustard powder

• 1 tbsp gravy granules (finely powdered)

• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs (basil, thyme, oregano – crushed fine)

• Dredge Station

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (for base coat) + pinch of salt/pepper + a little Lawry’s

• 1 cup all-purpose flour (for wet batter)

• 200 ml buttermilk

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup milk

• ¼ cup water (approx, to adjust consistency)

• About 1 kg beef tallow (enough for deep frying 2–3 inches deep, not more than halfway up the pot)

Directions

• Marinate: In a large bowl, toss chicken with hot sauce and seasoned salt. Pour over 100 ml buttermilk and coat well. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for 4–6 hours (up to 24 hours).
• Prep Tallow: Remove chicken from the fridge 45 minutes before cooking. Add beef tallow to a deep pot and heat to 350°F (180°C) over medium heat.
• Make Seasoning Flour (Bowl 3): In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, Lawry’s, paprika, black pepper, onion salt, garlic, white pepper, ground ginger, mustard powder, gravy granules, and powdered herbs. Set aside.
• Set Up Dredge Station:
• Bowl 1 (Base): Mix 1 cup flour with a pinch of salt, pepper, and a bit of Lawry’s.
• Bowl 2 (Wet): Whisk together 1 cup flour, 200 ml buttermilk, 2 eggs, and ½ cup milk. Add water slowly until the consistency is loose but batter-like.
• Bowl 3: Your seasoning flour from Step 3.
• Triple Dredge: Working one piece at a time, shake off excess marinade. Dip into Bowl 1 and coat fully, then shake off extra. Dip into Bowl 2 and let excess drip off. Place into Bowl 3.
• The Squeeze: In Bowl 3, use a dry hand to firmly squeeze the seasoned flour into the chicken skin, packing it on to create a craggly, cornflake-like texture. Gently tap off loose excess.
• Fry: Carefully lower chicken into the hot tallow. Do not overcrowd; fry in batches of 3–4 pieces.
• Drumsticks: Fry about 16–17 minutes.
• Thighs: Fry about 18 minutes.
• Turn occasionally and keep oil around 350°F (180°C).
• Check Temp: Fry until deep golden brown. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
• Finish: Transfer to a wire rack to drain. If doing multiple batches, keep cooked chicken warm in an oven at about 150°F (65–70°C). Serve hot.

Notes

• Gluten-Free: You can swap the plain flour for a gluten-free blend in all three bowls; it often results in an even crispier crust.
• Herbs: Ensure dried herbs are ground to a powder; larger leaves are more likely to burn in the hot tallow.
• Make Ahead: The seasoning flour mix can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container.
• Safety: Tallow gets very hot. Never fill your pot more than halfway and never drop wet chicken into the fat from a height—lower it in gently with tongs. Discard any leftover flour that has touched raw chicken.