Pan Fried Chicken help

I've used acidulated water -- water plus lemon juice, with a healthy slug of Tabasco sauce because I like it spicy. If you're starting with kosher chicken, no need to add salt; but I don't keep kosher, so in effect I make a brine with lemon juice.

I've also used rice milk plus lemon -- not for any reason other than the expiration date was fast approaching. :o It's really the acid that makes the difference.

Yes, I would second brining it. The thing with the buttermilk is that it gives a great base for the flour to adhere onto and "meld", rather like a batter.

My mother always soaked chicken in a salt water brine. She said it drew out any blood left in it. She also would often skin the chicken first as she claimed they weren't plucked well enough to suit her. She would let it soak in the brine for an hour or two, then coat it with flour and fry in butter. I have trouble with all the coating coming off doing it that way, so I coat it with flour and let it stand on a plate for a 1/2 hour or so. If it gets sticky, run it through the flour again and then fry. This has worked well for me.

Yep I think if you're not using egg to coat in a wash it helps alot to let it sit with the flour on it. Cuz otherwise the crust just tends to peel right off.

But if I'm using an egg and milk wash then as soon as I double coat it, I put it into the pan to keep if from being tough. (the crust that is)