border="0" alt="buttermilk fried chicken" hspace="5" width="200"
height="170" align="left"/>For a lot of folks, it isn’t 4th of July without fried chicken. And what’s nice about fried chicken is you can make it in advance and serve it cold if you want. For the best, juiciest fried chicken, follow my step-by-step directions for how to make fried chicken.

This fried chicken is perfectly crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The secret is a nice long soak in a buttermilk marinade.

For more 4th of July recipes, see also:

• Crockpot Baked Beans – This homemade baked beans recipe is a great addition to any barbecue or picnic. Be sure to plan in advance – you’ll need to soak the beans overnight before slow cooking them.
• Broccoli Salad Recipe – Crisp broccoli is tossed with bacon, almonds, raisins and cheddar cheese in a sweet and creamy dressing.
• Apple Pie – What could be more American than apple pie? This recipe is a family favorite.

Sign up for my Cooking for Kids newsletter

Get my new Smoothie Recipe of the Day E-course – It’s free!

Follow me on Twitter

Buttermilk Fried Chicken image by Stephanie Gallagher 2012, licensed to About.com Inc.