Everyone loves a fresh batch of crispy buttermilk fried chicken! This easy recipe will have your chicken tasting and CRUNCHING as if it came straight from your favorite chicken joint. The golden-brown crispy crust and flavorful mix of fried chicken seasonings will make this recipe one of your favorites.
I have been eating fried chicken since I can remember. It is such a classic dish that you could eat anytime- any place. Some of my favorite fried chicken is from my mom and Popeyes. They both have that perfect combination of flavor and crunch while leaving still leaving the chicken juicy!
I won’t tell you this is the best recipe you will ever try, but it is a great recipe for those who want to learn how to make their own favorite recipe with this foundation. Though I will say, my Injected Fried Chicken Recipe is one of my favorites.
>>>>
The Star Ingredients
Chicken
Something that I like most about chicken is that it comes in so many forms. Whether you like white meat or dark meat, frying chicken will always result in a delicious dish. In this recipe, we are using boneless skinless thighs. This is a relatively healthier option than having the skin on. We are looking forward to trying the recipe on every cut of chicken. My favorite is bone-in skin-on thighs!
Whether you are using bone-in or bone-out, be sure the internal temp reaches 165F. Bone-in will take a little longer to cook than bone-out. And you can brine bone-in for less time than bone-out. The bone will aid in the chicken staying moist.
If using a breast, either pound it out to even out the breast or cut it in half horizontally to make two thinner pieces. This will allow the chicken to fry evenly.
Buttermilk
This will be the base of the chicken crust. Buttermilk is going to act as a brine to keep the chicken moist as it cooks. And with adding spices to the milk, it will season the meat beyond the surface.
What if don’t have buttermilk?
You can follow this simple recipe to make your own buttermilk. It consists of just milk and lemon juice.
>>>>>
Flour and Cornstarch
Cornstarch is a very important element in producing the crunchiest crust. I highly recommend using it and not substituting it for something else. Although it is possible to still get a good crunchy crust with just flour and baking powder. It just won’t be as crispy as you may want.
Seasoning Mix
It is important to add flavor to every part of the chicken process. The seasonings used in this recipe are:
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Smoked Paprika
Dried Oregano
Cayenne Pepper
Salt and Pepper
Ground Mustard
You can add any of your go-to seasonings but remember to watch the amount of sodium.
Oil
When frying anything, you are going to want to use an oil that has a high smoke point.
Smoke point is the temperature where the oil no longer glistens but starts to burn and smoke.
Vegetable and Canola oil are the best in my opinion. Vegetable Oil’s smoke point is around 428 degrees and Canola oil’s is around 450 degrees. Corn Oil is also a good choice.
How to make Buttermilk Fried Chicken?
First brine the chicken.
Blend the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and submerge. You can marinate the chicken for as short as 30 minutes, but longer will input more flavor and juiciness.
Fry the chicken.
Heat your frying oil to 350F and line a plate with paper towels. Blend the flour and seasonings in a Ziplock bag. Dredge and fry the chicken, about 2-3 pieces at a time, for about 10-12 minutes per side or until golden brown. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F, remove from the oil onto your paper towel-lined plate to cool. Immediately sprinkle with kosher salt.
Why is my fried chicken so dark?
If your chicken’s skin is cooking too fast, then your oil is most likely too hot. With a candy thermometer, you can keep a watch on how hot your oil is getting. Without a thermometer, you are going to develop the skill of being able to tell if the oil is just right to cook the chicken skin at a speed that allows the chicken to be fully cooked while still having a golden-brown color.
The chicken should not begin to brown until about 5-6 minutes in.
Why is my fried chicken not crispy/greasy?
When you are frying your chicken, but it is coming out soggy or greasy then your oil is too low. Again, using a candy thermometer can help with this. Be sure you are preheating the oil to the proper temperature and do not crowd the pan. Fry 3-4 pieces at a time to allow for space in between and the oil can stay at a stable temperature.
Why is my fried chicken breading falling off?
While you are frying the chicken, the skin/batter is cooking separately. After your chicken has been brining and you are ready to start frying, I always take the chicken right out of buttermilk, allow the residual buttermilk to drip off, and into the flour. Draining off the excess buttermilk allows the batter to adhere to the chicken better.
How to serve fried chicken?
I know many family members that can eat chicken at any temperature, but I love it fresh out of the fryer – almost too hot to eat!
Once you finished frying your chicken, you can keep it warm in a warming drawer or in the oven at a very low temperature. Be careful not to leave it in dry heat for too long as this can eventually dry out the meat.
Some of my favorite side to eat with fried chicken is:
Mashed Potatoes
Mac and Cheese
Cajun Rice
Corn on the Cob
Roasted Broccoli
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Storing & Leftover Chicken
To store leftover chicken, refrigerate it in either a Ziplock bag or an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
To reheat your leftover chicken, place it in under a 350-375F broiler for about 10-15 minutes with a couple of drops of water at the bottom of the pan. The idea is to heat up and re-crisp up the skin while not drying out the meat.
Tips and Tricks
- Brine your chicken for at least 30 mins to get as much flavor in the meat as possible.
- Using a heavy bottom pan helps the oil heat up evenly throughout the pan. If you have a candy thermometer, it will help you regulate the temperature as the chicken cooks.
- Don’t cook too many pieces of chicken at the same time. It can lower the temperature of the oil too much, affecting the crust’s crispness and drying out the meat.
Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Equipment
- Duct Oven
- Cast Iron Pan
Ingredients
Brine
- 2 cups Buttermilk
- 4-5 dashes Hot sauce
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 2 lbs of bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
Dredging Mix
- 2 ½ cups Flour
- 1/3 cup Cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
- 3 Tbsp Garlic Powder
- 2 Tbsp Onion Powder
- 1 Tbsp Smoke Paprika
- 1 Tbsp Dried Oregano
- 2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1 Tbsp Ground Mustard
Instructions
- In a large bowl, blend the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and submerge. Transfer everything to a ziplock bag, getting Get as much air out of the bag as possible. Refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours.
- In a cast iron pan or duct oven, heat the oil to 350 F and set up a large plate lined with folded paper towels.
- in a large Ziploc bag, mix the flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, ground mustard, salt, and pepper.
- When the oil is ready, take one piece of chicken out of the buttermilk mixture. Allow the excess buttermilk to run off. Do not pat dry or wash off the buttermilk. Drop the chicken into the flour and shake until fully coated.
- Fry the chicken, about 2-3 pieces at a time, for about 10-12 minutes per side or until golden brown. Once the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165F, remove it from the oil onto your paper towel-lined plate to cool. Immediately sprinkle with seasoning salt or kosher salt.
- Serve while hot and Enjoy!
Notes
- Brine your chicken for at least 30 mins to get as much flavor in the meat as possible.
- Using a heavy bottom pan helps the oil heat up evenly throughout the pan. If you have a candy thermometer, it will help you regulate the temperature as the chicken cooks.
- Don’t cook too many pieces of chicken at the same time. It can lower the temperature of the oil too much, affecting the crust's crispness and drying out the meat.