In the world of Southern food , it doesnt get any more iconic than fried chicken : Its crispy and flavorful on the outside, moist and juicy on the inside. Preparation techniques and the right spice mix can make the difference between good and great fried chicken, so weve consulted some experts to share their top tips in the hopes of achieving fried chicken perfection at home.

Start with a brine preferably one with a buttermilk base.

For perfect fried chicken, I always look for a golden crust that has been highly seasoned but the protein itself must be moist and juicy, RJ Cooper, James Beard Award-winning executive chef and owner of Saint Stephen in Nashville, Tennessee, told HuffPost.

To achieve this, Cooper puts pieces of raw chicken in a buttermilk brine and refrigerates for 12 hours. His mixture contains buttermilk, fresh sage, rosemary, thyme and garlic.

Brining the chicken keeps the bird moist and tender, Cooper said. On the choice of buttermilk, he explains, Buttermilks enzymes lend to a tender bird while instituting a fat component. During the brining process, chicken is stored in a deep container with a weight and lid. (If youre a fan of Samin Nosrat , youll remember she brines her roast chicken in buttermilk for 24 hours before cooking it.)

Dont have buttermilk? Brine it in saltwater.

For Jon Buck, executive chef of Husk Greenville , Perfectly fried chicken is all about crunchy skin with a balance of spices and of course, the juiciest, perfectly cooked dark meat.

Fried chicken is one of those dishes that needs to be prepped well in advance to achieve all the desired results, Buck told HuffPost. At Husk, this process begins a minimum of 24 hours before chicken is fried.

We use a 6% saltwater brine (1 cup salt to 1 gallon of water), Buck said. We hold our chicken in brine for 12 hours. I would say that the minimum time on brine is 8-10 hours, but do not exceed 12 hours.