Country Fried Chicken 1 chicken, cut up Salt and pepper, to taste 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 cup Crisco shortening 1/4 cup all-purpose flour Leave skin on chicken; salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into buttermilk and roll in flour to coat meat well. In a large cast iron skillet, heat shortening medium hot and lay each piece close together; brown well on both sides uncovered. Cover and turn heat down to low. Cook 40 minutes or until tender. Remove cover and continue to brown a few minutes. The chicken will be rather soft but a bit crunchy also. Be sure to make chicken gravy in the drippings where chicken was fried. Add 1/4 cup flour, then pepper and salt to taste. Add equal amounts of sweet milk and water until gravy thickens.