Cut a 4-6 pound whole chicken in pieces (skin them too if preferred). A large chicken may need to be cut into more pieces (we halved our chicken breasts so they would cook quicker). Set chicken pieces aside.
Put 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon paprika, garlic salt, and pepper to taste in a bag and shake around. Dip chicken pieces in 1 cup buttermilk then place in flour mixture and shake around making sure to coat each piece.
Place coated chicken on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Cover with wax paper and let sit until flour is a paste-like consistency. Add oil to a large skillet and turn to MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
Add chicken to the hot oil and brown on both sides. Reduce heat and let cook until the internal temperature is 165°F.
Cook in batches – the wings and legs for about 15 minutes; thighs and breast halves were about 20 minutes. Turn the heat back up to MEDIUM-HIGH for an additional few minutes at the end.
Drain chicken on a paper towel-lined plate. Keep chicken warm in oven.