Fried chicken is a Southern main meal in the USA, served often at "Sunday dinner" 
("dinner" being the midday meal for many Southerners) or church "suppers" ("supper" 
being the term for the evening meal). Recipes are legion; every family has one handed 
down. Here's one:

To make the Chicken

Ingredients

    * one whole chicken
    * 2 cups buttermilk
    * 1 tsp mustard powder
    * 1 tsp cayenne powder
    * 2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
    * 1 tsp cinnamon
    * 1 tablespoon oregano
    * 1 tablespoon parsley
    * 1 tsp paprika
    * flour seasoned with herbs and spices (see procedure)

The spice mix isn't fixed. You can use more or less as desired.

Procedure

   1. Cut up a chicken into 8-10 pieces.
   2. Mix other ingredients except seasoned flour together, and marinate the chicken 
pieces for four hours in the mixture.
   3. Take each chicken piece out of the marinade and allow it to drip dry a few 
seconds. Then dredge it in seasoned flour. (Seasonings could include pepper, cayenne, 
salt, ground coriander, cinnamon, thyme, oregano). An easy way to dredge: put flour and 
seasonings in a small plastic bag, drop the piece in, and shake.
   4. Let the pieces rest (separately; do not stack) for about 10 minutes. Then dredge 
them again. The first dredging absorbs the buttermilk marinade. The second dredging 
gives a seasoned flour outer coat.
   5. Fry pieces in a deep, wide pan. Use an oil with a high smoke-point (peanut oil is 
good, but corn oil is OK too). When oil is smoking hot, drop pieces into the pan, and 
be careful to not overcrowd (pieces should not touch; fry in two batches). After three 
or four minutes, turn the chicken, and reduce the heat. Let the chicken fry for 20-25 
minutes, turning the pieces every few minutes. When the chicken is a deep golden-brown, 
and the juices run clear, it's done. The chicken will continue to cook after being 
removed from the pan, so err on the side of "just about done".
   6. Drain the chicken on absorbent paper or cloth. If you are not serving the chicken 
immediately, place it in a lightly-warmed oven, uncovered, separately (not stacked).

To make the gravy

Ingredients

    * oil
    * 1 small onion (or shallots) chopped
    * clove of garlic
    * 3-4 tbsp flour
    * 3 cups chicken stock/bouillon (or 2 cups stock and 1 cup cream)
    * salt and pepper

Procedure

   1. Pour off the accumulated oil from the pan, though reserving 3-4 tablespoons and 
all the flour and chicken residue. Keeping the pan on medium flame, toss in one small 
chopped onion and a clove of garlic. Sauté for a few minutes. Whisk in 3-4 tablespoons 
of flour, and keep stirring until the mixture becomes light to medium brown. Do not 
burn.
   2. Whisk in 3 cups of chicken stock or bouillon (or 2 cups stock and 1 cup cream). 
Simmer on low flame, covered, for 15 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
   3. Serve chicken with rice, and with some green vegetable. Spoon gravy over rice and 
chicken.