Calling all French fry & fried potato lovers! These chicken-fried potatoes have a crispy, seasoned crust. Keep reading to find out how to make the best fried potatoes ever.

One of my favorite restaurants growing up (and still today) is PK Egans in Canby, Minnesota.

I love their pizza, love their salad bar – and especially love their coat button fries.

When I made these chicken fried potatoes, I was delighted to realize that they taste almost identical to coat button fries: A deep-fried potato slice with a crispy seasoned coating.

What Are Chicken Fried Potatoes?

Imagine a deep-fried potato with a thin, crispy, fried-chicken-like crust. Are you drooling yet?

The sliced potatoes are soaked in spiced buttermilk, coated in a seasoned flour, and deep fried. The coating adds a bit of crunch and great flavor to the deep fried potatoes.

How To Make Chicken Fried Potatoes

Here’s a short explanation of the process. Scroll down for detailed recipe:

• Use a mandolin slicer to cut potatoes in 1/8-inch slices
• Soak potatoes in spiced buttermilk mixture for 1 to 2 hours
• Prepare seasoned flour mixture

• Add 1/3 cup of buttermilk to the flour and mix to create a slightly sticky dough
• Take one potato slice out of the buttermilk and press both sides into the flour mixture to coat

• Set coated potatoes aside. Repeat until all are coated
• Deep-fry the coated potatoes

Check out this recipe’s inspiration at Spoon Fork Bacon.

Deep Frying 101

If you’re scared of deep frying, don’t be. Here are answers to some common questions about deep frying at home:

• Do I need a deep fryer? No. You can use oil in a heavy pot instead.
• What kind of oil should I use? Peanut oil is considered the best oil for deep frying. I used canola oil. You can also use coconut oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil, or avocado oil. A high heat oil is best suited for deep frying. Do not use olive oil to deep fry.
• How hot does the oil have to be?  You’ll need to heat the oil to 365F. If you don’t have a food thermometer, you can test the oil by dipping the edge of a potato into the oil. If it sizzles, the oil is probably hot enough. If it doesn’t sizzle, keep heating the oil.
• Can I reuse leftover oil? You can reuse leftover oil once or twice. Once the oil has cooled, pour it through a fine-meshed sieve lined with paper towels or cheese cloth to remove any leftover fried bits. Store the oil in a cool, dry place. What to make? Try:
  • Breakfast croquettes
  • Thanksgiving leftover croquettes
  • Corn fritters
  • Spicy buttermilk chicken and waffle bites
• How do I dispose of excess oil? DO NOT pour leftover oil down the drain. Pour oil into a sealed container (a leftover glass jar works well) and throw it away.

What Dipping Sauce Is Best?

There are so many dipping options for these awesome potatoes! Any dipping sauce you would use for French fries or steak fries will taste great on chicken-fried potatoes.

But why not explore options beyond ketchup or ranch dressing? Here are 25+ alternative fried potato/French fry dipping sauces.

Continue to Content

Chicken-Fried Potatoes

Yield: 5 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Additional Time: 1 minute

Total Time: 31 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 Russet potatoes, washed and cut into 1/8-inch slices
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
• Vegetable, canola or peanut oil, for frying

For flour coating

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons coarse black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/3 cup buttermilk (from soaking liquid)

Instructions

1. Use a mandoline slicer to cut potatoes into 1/8th inch slices. Or use a knife to carefully cut into slices.
2. Combine buttermilk and spices in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add potatoes. Place in fridge and let soak for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Mix flour and spices together. Mix in buttermilk. The flour mixture should be slightly sticky or putty-like.
4. Take a soaked potato slice and dip it in the flour mixture, pressing down so it sticks to the potato. Turn the potato around and repeat with other side. Set coated potatoes aside while you complete coating the rest.
5. Heat 2 to 3 inches of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Turn on heat to high and heat oil to 350 degrees F. To test the oil, dip one edge of a coated potato into the oil. If it immediately sizzles, the oil is hot enough.
6. Fry 3 to 4 potatoes at a time. Cook for about 1 minute per side, until the potato is cooked through and the coating is toasted brown.
7. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined baking sheet to absorb excess oil. Continue frying remaining potatoes.
8. Serve hot, with ketchup, ranch dressing, BBQ sauce or another French fry dipping sauce.

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