Fried Chicken Gizzards – Crispy Southern Snack You’ll Crave
These Fried Chicken Gizzards are ultra crispy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with bold Southern flavor. Perfect as a budget-friendly bar snack or appetizer.
Equipment
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Medium bowl
- Zip-top bag or dredging dish
- Cast iron skillet or deep fryer
- Tongs or slotted spoon
- paper towels and wire rack
- instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken gizzards, cleaned and trimmed
- 2 cups buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt (for coating)
- ½ tsp black pepper (for coating)
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
- Vegetable, canola, or peanut oil, for frying
- Hot sauce, ranch, or lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Combine cleaned gizzards with buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- In a shallow dish or bag, mix flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Remove gizzards from buttermilk and dredge in flour mixture, pressing to coat well. Shake off excess and set aside.
- Pour oil into a heavy pot or skillet (2–3 inches deep). Heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry gizzards in batches for 5–7 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Internal temp should reach 165°F (74°C).
- Transfer fried gizzards to a wire rack over paper towels. Sprinkle lightly with extra salt. Serve hot with dipping sauce of choice.