Buttermilk fried chicken is kept extra juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside by first brining it in a buttermilk marinade, then double-dredging it in seasoned flour before deep frying.
Crispy, crunchy buttermilk fried chicken is the ultimate summer meal. It’s perfect for potlucks, picnics, July 4th bbqs and — who am I kidding? — weeks when I’m craving fried chicken and KFC just isn’t going to cut it.
This easy recipe for fried chicken features a simple buttermilk brine that tenderizes the chicken before it ever hits the hot oil and helps lock in moisture for maximum juiciness.
And for a super crispy bite, the chicken gets dredged in the seasoned flour mixture twice.
There’s nothing fussy or fancy about this recipe. It’s just comforting Southern cooking at its finest.
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
- For super crispy fried chicken, marinate it first in a buttermilk mixture and then dredge in seasoned flour. I like to use self-raising flour (which has leavening agents added to it) for a light, crisp crust.
- If your oil isn’t hot enough, you’ll wind up with gummy or greasy fried chicken. Use a candy thermometer to make sure the oil has reached 325ºF, otherwise drop a cube of bread in the oil. If it floats and starts to bubble and brown right away, the oil is the right temperature.
- Make 10 more manageable pieces to fry instead of 8 by cutting the chicken breasts in half.
What’s in This Recipe?
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
- Chicken — I broke down a whole chicken into 8 pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, wings). Your grocery store butcher might be able to do this for you, or you can buy your favorite cuts of chicken for frying and just use those.
- Buttermilk — Yes, this is an essential ingredient! The acidic buttermilk starts breaking down the muscle fibers in the chicken, which makes for a tender and juicy bite.
- Kosher salt — The added salt in the buttermilk brine locks in moisture and helps flavor the chicken from the inside out.
- Tabasco — Adds a tangy flavor without making the fried chicken taste spicy.
- Self-rising flour — If you don’t keep self-rising flour on hand, substitute it with 2 cups all-purpose flour + 1 teaspoon baking powder for a light yet crispy crust.
- Spices — A simple blend of garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper is all that’s needed to season the chicken.
- Oil — I prefer frying chicken in peanut oil. It’s got a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. If you don’t have peanut oil, use canola, vegetable, or sunflower oil.
How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Brine the chicken for up to 24 hours. Place the chicken, buttermilk, Tabasco, and salt in a zip-top bag and squish it around to coat the chicken evenly in the marinade. Ideally, you’d let it chill for at least 2 hours so the buttermilk has time to start tenderizing the chicken.
- Heat the oil to 325ºF. Any cooler, and your fried chicken will be greasy or gummy. Use a large skillet and fill it no more than one-third full with oil.
- Dredge the chicken in flour twice. Give it a little shake to remove the excess marinade before dredging in the seasoned flour mixture. Shake it again, then dredge once more to create an extra crispy coating.
- Deep fry the chicken. Fry the chicken bone-side down for about 10 minutes with the lid on. Once the bottoms are golden brown and the top is just starting to cook, flip it over and fry for another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and keep frying until the chicken is browned and crispy all over.
Heidi’s Tip: Fried chicken needs to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving (it’s too hot to eat straight out of the oil!). I like to transfer it to a wire rack placed over a baking sheet so the hot air can circulate without causing the chicken to steam and become soggy.
FAQs
I prefer peanut oil, which has a very high smoke point and a neutral flavor. (This is also what a lot of the most popular fried chicken restaurants use.)
Definitely not! Olive oil has a smoke point starting around 350ºF to 375ºF, while peanut oil has a smoke point of 450ºF. If you fry the chicken in olive oil, it will start to smoke and might give the chicken a burnt flavor.
Plan on frying the chicken pieces for 17 to 20 minutes total, depending on their size. I like to cut the chicken breasts in half to speed up their cook time and make them easier to flip.
The magic number you’re looking for is 165ºF. You can pull the chicken out of the hot oil when it reaches 160ºF and let the carryover heat bring it up to 165ºF as it rests.
No! Gently shake off any excess buttermilk brine before dredging in the seasoned flour, but do not rinse or dab it off. The buttermilk mixture locks in moisture and also adds flavor!
In a pinch, you could mix 2 cups of whole milk with 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to mimic buttermilk’s natural acidity.
Storage Tips
Surprise, surprise: buttermilk fried chicken loses its crispness in the fridge. To revive its crunch when reheating, place it on an oven-safe wire rack set over a baking tray and bake at 400ºF for 10 to 12 minutes.
Avoid reheating fried chicken in the microwave, which will make it soggy and likely rubbery, to boot.
Sides to Serve With Fried Chicken
- Salads — Classic Potato Salad, Macaroni Salad, and Ambrosia Salad
- Sides — Fried Green Tomatoes, Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, Cornbread, and Creamy Coleslaw
- Veggies — Grilled Corn, Creamed Spinach, Zucchini Casserole
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
For the Brine
- 1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces, 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters, and 2 wings
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
For the Chicken
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 3 cups peanut oil
Instructions
- Place the chicken in a Ziploc bag, then add the buttermilk, kosher salt, and Tabasco sauce. Seal and shake well to evenly combine the ingredients and coat the chicken. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours up to 24 hours.
- Fill a 12-inch cast iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid with about 1½ inches oil and heat to 325°F. The oil should not come more than one-third of the way up the sides of the pot. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika and set aside.
- Remove the chicken from the brine, shaking off most of the excess, and dredge in the seasoned flour then dredge in the flour a second time to form a double crust.
- Place the chicken, bone side down, in the hot oil. The oil should be deep enough so it comes almost to the top of the chicken pieces and will drop to 265°F to 275°F. Cover the skillet and cook until the bottoms are golden brown and the top is beginning to cook, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, flip the chicken, cover, and cook another 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fry uncovered until the skin is deeply browned and crisp, another 3 to 4 minutes. It will take a total of 17 to 20 minutes to cook, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
- Sprinkle with kosher salt while hot if desired. Transfer the fried pieces to the rack and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
More Crispy Chicken Recipes
- Crispy Buttermilk Chicken Tenders
- Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Crispy Buffalo Chicken Breasts
- Chicken Milanese
- Crispy Smoked Paprika Chicken
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Shoshana
This is the first fried chicken recipe I’ve seen that keeps the temperature lower than the “standard” 350. Every time I try a recipe using the 350 temperature (with instructions to keep the oil at 350 the entire duration of cooking), the crust always gets too dark and burns. I asked one of my friends to teach me how to fry chicken, and she kept the oil around 250 the entire time. It took longer, but the crust color and texture was perfect. I’m intrigued by your recipe and will definitely try it, thank you!!!
Awesome Shoshana! Yes, I tested it at different temperatures and found the same issues you have when cooking them at the higher temp. Excited for you to make it and hope you’ll come back to tell us how it turns out!