Chicken Fried Bacon
The Texas Treat – crispy, spicy, and downright sinful
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Lord, I ain’t never had nothing like this growing up in the holler. We fried a lot of things, but bacon? That was usually just for breakfast, not turned into something you had to fight your cousins for. I first heard about chicken fried bacon down in Texas and thought, “Well that sounds like pure trouble.” One bite and I was hooked. Crispy, spicy, crunchy on the outside, smoky and tender inside — it’s the kind of sinful snack that makes you want to holler “thank you, Lord” between bites.
This is my take using Wendy’s thick-cut bacon from Kroger (because it holds up to the fry) and a homemade KFC-style spice blend. We double-dip for max crunch and serve it with a Chick-fil-A copycat dipping sauce that’ll make you forget all about regular bacon.
Ingredients
- Bacon: 1 pack Wendy’s thick-cut bacon (or any thick-cut bacon)
- KFC Spice Blend (mix ahead): 2 Tbsp paprika, 1 Tbsp salt, 1 Tbsp white pepper, 2 tsp garlic salt, 2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp celery salt, 1 tsp ground mustard, ½ tsp ground ginger, Optional: pinch cayenne
- Breading: 1 cup all-purpose flour (or crushed pork rinds) + all the KFC spice blend
- 2 eggs, beaten (add a splash of heavy cream if you want it richer)
- Oil or bacon grease for frying
How to Make Chicken Fried Bacon
- 1. Mix all the KFC spice blend ingredients into the flour. Taste a pinch and adjust if needed.
- 2. Cut each bacon strip in half so they’re easier to handle.
- 3. Set up your breading station: beaten eggs in one bowl, spiced flour in another.
- 4. Dip each bacon piece in egg wash, then into the spiced flour. Press the flour on firmly. Dip back in egg, then final flour coat.
- 5. Heat your cast iron skillet with oil or bacon grease to 350°F. Fry the bacon pieces in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and extra crispy.
- 6. Drain on a wire rack so they stay crunchy.
Chick-fil-A Copycat Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup real mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp smoky barbecue sauce
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch smoked paprika
Whisk everything together and chill for a few minutes so it thickens up nicely.
Cletus’s Pro Tips from the Holler
- Thick-cut bacon is key — regular bacon shrivels up and gets lost in the breading.
- Don’t crowd the skillet or the temperature will drop and they’ll get greasy instead of crispy.
- Make extra spice blend — it’s killer on fries, chicken, or even popcorn.
- This is pure Texas-meets-holler chaos. My possum-chasing cousins would’ve fought over the last piece.
Variations to Keep It Fresh
- Bacon Lover’s Version: Use even thicker bacon and add more bacon bits in the breading.
- Spicy Texas Twist: Add extra cayenne or a dash of hot sauce to the egg wash.
- Sweet Heat: Drizzle a little honey on the finished bacon before serving.
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Got a tweak or your own chicken fried creation? Drop it in the comments or holler at me! I read every one.
