If you love the fried chicken from Church's then try this recipe for their coating mix. Bonus: the mix can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 months.
Coating Mix
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 teaspoons seasoned salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup biscuit baking mix
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1 envelope onion soup mix
Coating Dip
2 eggs, MIXED WITH
1/4 cup cold water
1 cup corn oil
For Coating Mix: Combine all ingredients and blend well. Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 months.
To Use: Dip the chicken pieces in egg mixture and then into dry coating mix. Then dip back into egg to coat the pieces evenly and, finally, back into dry mix.
Have oil hot in heavy skillet. Brown skin-side down for 4 to 6 minutes. Use medium high heat. Turn and brown for a few minutes.
Transfer to an oiled or Pam-sprayed 9" x 12" x 2" pan. Cover pan with foil, sealing only 3 sides of pan. Bake for 350 degrees F for about 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove foil. Bake for another 5 minutes just to crisp the coating.
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Store the coating mix in a cool, dry place to keep it fresh if not using immediately.
Make sure the chicken is thoroughly coated with the mix for the best texture.
Use a thermometer to maintain the correct oil temperature while frying.
Allow excess oil to drain off the chicken by placing it on a wire rack after frying.
Covering the pan while baking helps to keep the chicken moist.
Uncover the chicken towards the end of baking for a crispier coating.
Discard any used coating mix.
Yes, but add 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt per cup of all-purpose flour to mimic self-rising flour.
You can use additional self-rising flour or a homemade biscuit mix.
The onion soup mix adds flavor, but you can omit it and use onion powder as a substitute.
Add cayenne pepper or hot paprika to the coating mix for more heat.
Not really. Wet batters
The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F, and the juices should run clear.
Yes, this coating can be used for pork chops, fish fillets, or even vegetables.
Yes, combine the ingredients and store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Heavy Skillet or Deep Fryer: For frying the chicken pieces, allowing them to achieve a golden brown coloration. Ensure the oil is heated to the appropriate temperature for optimal frying.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: For accurately measuring ingredients, such as sugar, flour, cornstarch, and other spices included in the coating mix.
Mixing Bowl: A bowl to combine all the dry ingredients for the coating mix, as well as another bowl to hold the egg mixture.
Whisk or Fork: Used for mixing the ingredients, particularly to blend the eggs and water together thoroughly for the coating dip.
Tongs: For handling the chicken pieces during the frying process, for easy dipping and turning of the chicken.
Baking Pan (9" x 12" x 2"): For baking the chicken.
Aluminum Foil: To cover the baking pan, creating a sealed environment to retain moisture while the chicken bakes.
Cooking Thermometer (optional): Helpful for monitoring the oil temperature if using a heavy skillet, making sure it reaches the optimal frying temperature. A thermometer can also help determine when the chicken is fully cooked.
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reviews & comments
March 15, 2025
If you have ever had Church's Chicken you will know this is nothing like it. The coating tastes nothing like Church's coating and also looks nothing like it. I am a pretty seasoned home chef and didn't mess up any steps other than I should have ground the onion soup mix, the onion pieces burnt a bit when frying in the oil. The oven cooking made the coating not so crisp. There is only one Church's chicken near me left. They don't tend to put these in the best neighborhoods and the service is usually really slow. I will go to the place and pay for lousy service but GREAT Chicken again from now on. I will be throwing the rest of the coating mix away.
January 3, 2021
I tried this recipe last night and it didn't taste like Churches Chicken. Skin is not crispy and not as juicy. I followed the instructions to the T but disappointed with the flavor and texture.
I put my chicken In the pressure cooker first. I disagree that the batter needs all that soup mix and Italian dressing because when it was all fried you couldnât taste any of it. It was good, wasnât very flaky and I can say that I tried it but I think I will use my recipe next time. I do like the idea of putting oil in my batter it did seem to make the flower batter stick better.
They batter and dip in water and batter again with dry mix and deep fry. Marinated chicken
The recipe is tasty. If you use a black skillet and have the oil hot, cook with the skin down. After 3 minutes turn the heat down to medium high heat. Then cook another 5 minutes, then put in the oven. If you do it this way, batter does not get soggy.
Okay, so it was weird. But decent. However, it is NOTHING like Church's chicken. Which is why I'm giving it 1 star. Had it not claimed to be Church's chicken, I would've given it a 2 1/2.
We removed your rating because it does not fit with our guidelines. You didn't provide any feedback on why it wasn't what you expected it to be.
April 1, 2014
Church's does not dip their chicken in butter FYI. I was a general manager there for a long while. It's a corn meal/flour mixture mix with cold water. And the spice is not in the batter...it's in the chicken itself.i don't think this recipe is anywhere near the real thing.
There are varying sizes of Italian dressing packets. Any idea what size I should use?
If u use cold chicken and cold batter cold flour u will get a thermo barrier which will not allow the shorting in and lock in the moisture.
February 5, 2014
The only thing missing is the butter that the chicken is coated in at Church's. I happened to be at the rest ordering when they were coating the chicken. I asked whats the liquid mix that you dip the chicken in? They said it's butter because it gives the chicken a crisp and flavorful coating.
October 31, 2013
I followed the recipe except I put the chicken on a baking sheet (uncovered) and cooked it that way. Kept the coating crisp. I think if you do cover it with foil as directed you should only cook it 20 minutes that way then uncover it to recrisp the coating for the rest of the cooking time.
July 6, 2013
I liked the flavor a lot and it had a great crisp crust when it was fried in the oil but then when it goes in the oven it steams it and makes it too soft. I wouldn't cover it next time in the oven or maybe just not as long because 5 minutes without the foil just didn't crisp it up enough.
I would not uue a recipe that says you may store it at room temp for 3 months -- This recipe contains raw eggs Storing at room temp is just begging for trouble
You can store the coating mix up to three months. Not the egg/water mixture. The recipe is technically for the coating mix.
Church's does not bake or pan fry its chicken. It is deep fried after a toss in a dry mixture,
This recipe did not turn out as expected. The flour mixture, although it had great flavor, turned out to be gummy. It did not crisp up in the oven as expected, but was more cakey than crusty. We just scraped off. The breading and ate the chicken. Maybe there is too much with both the self-rising flour, cornstarch, and biscuit mix. I've always just used flour. Think I'll be going back to that....but I like the seasonings used. Interesting. But truthfully...it did not taste like Church's....being a lifelong fan.
I haven't tried this..... yet, but I did want to add a comment... I have a kid that works at a Church's, and here's what they do to make their chicken... 1. Lightly dredge in the seasoned flour mix. 2. Lightly coat in the batter mix, shaking off excess. 3. Re-coat in the flour mix, shaking off excess, then place directly in fryer. Again, I haven't tried this recipe so I can't validate it, but based on the two reviews, I felt it worth clarifying the coating process.
April 12, 2010
This recipe left out the chicken.
It's a recipe for the mix (note where it says you can store it for up to three months). It gives usage instructions.
October 20, 2008
This recipe was delicious! Even my very picky eater of a boyfriend really enjoyed it. However, the batter soaks up the oil like a sponge while cooking in the skillet, and burns rather easily. Next time I make this, I'll skip over the pan-cooking to go right to the baking.