Crispy Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken
intro
Shatteringly crisp, juicy Southern-style buttermilk fried chicken, seasoned to the bone, perfect for casual summer picnics and relaxed family meals.
Ingredients
Steps
Brine the chicken
Pat 1.2kg bone-in, skin-on mixed chicken pieces completely dry with paper towels, then submerge fully in 500ml buttermilk mixed with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 full hour to tenderize the meat and infuse deep flavor.
Make seasoned coating
In a wide, shallow baking dish, whisk together 300g all-purpose flour, the remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, remaining ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon baking powder until evenly combined.
Heat frying oil
Pour 1.5 liters of neutral vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed cast iron Dutch oven, clip a candy thermometer to the pot’s inner edge, and heat over medium burner heat until the oil holds a steady temperature of 175°C (350°F). Adjust the burner as needed during cooking to maintain this exact temperature, avoiding large swings.
Coat chicken pieces
Remove chicken from the buttermilk brine one piece at a time, letting excess buttermilk drip off for 5 seconds, then press firmly into the seasoned flour on all sides, turning to build a thick, craggy, even coating. Set coated pieces on a wire rack for 10 minutes to let the crust set and adhere properly.
Fry in small batches
Carefully lower 3-4 chicken pieces into the hot oil at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the pot which rapidly drops oil temperature. Fry for 12-15 minutes total, flipping each piece halfway through cooking with long metal tongs, until the crust is deep golden brown and the chicken’s thickest part reaches 75°C (165°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
Drain and rest
Use tongs to transfer fully cooked chicken pieces to a clean wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet, and let rest for 5 minutes to allow excess oil to drain and juices to redistribute through the meat, ensuring each bite stays juicy.
Tips
2.Do not skip the 10-minute rest after coating chicken: this period lets the flour and buttermilk bind, so the crust does not slide off during frying.
3.Keep oil temperature consistent: below 160°C (320°F) chicken will absorb excess oil and turn greasy; above 190°C (375°F) the crust will burn before the chicken cooks through.
OMG y’all, this is THE fried chicken recipe I’ve been searching for my whole adult life! Grew up eating my grandma’s buttermilk fried chicken but could never get the crust crispy enough without it falling off. Followed the recipe exactly, let the chicken soak in buttermilk for a full 24 hours like my gram used to, and it came out perfect! Crunchy, juicy, perfectly seasoned. My kids begged for seconds before they even finished their first piece. Made this for our Sunday family dinner and everyone left with leftovers. SO good!!
Tasted amazing, but my crust slid right off half the pieces when I flipped them! Did I not let the flour coating rest long enough before frying? Flavor was on point though, even with the crust mishap. Brought the batch to my neighborhood block party and people still raved, just wish the crunch stayed put.
Game changer for my weekly meal prep! I make a batch of this every Sunday now, portion it out with mac and cheese and collards, and it holds up so well even reheated in the air fryer. The crust gets crispy again instead of getting soggy like every other fried chicken recipe I’ve tried. 10/10, no notes.
First time ever making fried chicken and I was so nervous I’d mess it up! I live in a tiny dorm with a countertop deep fryer and this still turned out insane. My roommates thought I ordered takeout from that fancy southern spot downtown. Only thing I changed was added a little extra cayenne because I like my chicken with a kick. Will absolutely make this again for our next game night.
I was really excited to try this, so I swapped the all purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend and the texture was just… off. The flavor was great, but the crust got really dense and didn’t crisp up right. Maybe I needed to adjust something? Bummed because the non-GF pieces I made for my husband turned out perfect.
Brought this to my office potluck yesterday and it was GONE in 10 minutes. People were coming up to me for the recipe before I even sat down to eat! I did a mix of drumsticks and thighs because those are always the crowd favorites, and I let the chicken brine in the buttermilk for 18 hours. Worth every minute of prep, no cap.
I’m 72 years old and I’ve been making fried chicken since I was a kid helping my mom in the kitchen. Tried this recipe on a whim last weekend when my grandkids came to visit, and I’ll be darned if it ain’t better than my own go-to recipe. The buttermilk brine keeps the white meat so juicy, I usually overcook chicken breasts because I hate pink, but these were perfect. My oldest grandson asked if I’d teach him to make it for his high school cooking class project.
This was delicious, but heads up for anyone short on time – the total time was way more than an hour and a half for me! Between the brine time, dredging, resting, and frying in batches, I spent almost 3 hours in the kitchen start to finish. That said, the end result was so worth it, my kids ate every last bite and even asked for it for their birthday dinner. Just don’t try to make this on a busy weeknight like I did, save it for the weekend!
Pro tip for anyone who loves extra crispy chicken: add a packet of dry ranch dressing mix to the flour dredge. I saw that hack online and tried it with this recipe, and oh my GOD it was next level. The ranch seasoning adds the perfect little herby kick without being overpowering. Made this for my boyfriend’s birthday cookout and all his friends were begging for the recipe. 10/10, will make again and again.
I really wanted to love this, but my chicken came out so greasy and soggy. I checked my oil temp with a thermometer, let the dredge rest, used buttermilk like the recipe said, but the crust soaked up so much oil it was inedible. Wasted a whole pack of chicken and a quart of buttermilk, total bummer. Maybe I did something wrong but I followed the directions exactly.
Made this for my husband’s first home cooked birthday meal and he said it’s better than his mom’s fried chicken (don’t tell her I said that 😂). I was so intimidated because I’ve never made anything fried before, but the steps were super easy to follow and everything came out perfect. We had it with mashed potatoes and green beans, just like he grew up eating. Already saved this recipe to my permanent dinner rotation!
Made a double batch of this before a 3 day camping trip last weekend and it was the perfect camping food! We ate it cold on hikes, heated it up over the campfire for dinner, and it held up way better than I expected. The crust stayed crunchy, the chicken didn’t dry out, and it beat the boring trail mix and granola bars we usually bring. Total game changer for future trips.
Flavor was fantastic, but I found the seasoning a little too salty for my taste! I cut the salt in half when I made it a second time and it was perfect for my low-sodium diet. The brine makes the chicken so juicy, even with less salt it didn’t taste bland at all. Great base recipe, super easy to adjust for dietary needs.
So excited to make this for my dad’s Father’s Day dinner this weekend! Quick question though – can I use a homemade buttermilk substitute (milk + a splash of white vinegar) if I don’t have actual buttermilk in the fridge? I really don’t want to make a special trip to the store if the substitute works just as well!
SO good. I ate 3 pieces straight out of the fryer before I even set the table. No regrets. The paprika and garlic powder in the dredge is the perfect seasoning blend, not too much of any one spice. My roommate walked in from work and immediately stole a drumstick off the cooling rack, said it smelled so good he couldn’t wait for dinner. 10/10, no notes.
Quick question for folks who have made this already – what oil do you recommend using? I’ve only ever fried things in vegetable oil but I’ve heard peanut oil is better for fried chicken? I don’t want to waste money on the wrong oil if it won’t turn out good! Making this for my family’s Fourth of July cookout next week so I want it to be perfect.
Made this for my daughter’s soccer team banquet last weekend and the parents were literally coming up to me asking for the recipe all night. I did half spicy (added extra cayenne and hot sauce to the brine) and half regular, and both batches were demolished. Even the kids who say they ‘hate fried chicken’ went back for seconds. 100% making this for every team event from now on.
I’ve tried no less than 7 different southern fried chicken recipes from food blogs in the last year, and this one is hands down the best. The crust is shatteringly crisp, the meat is juicy all the way through, the seasoning is perfectly balanced – no weird overpowering spice, no bland chicken. I don’t think I’ll ever try another fried chicken recipe again, this is the one.
I know, I know, fried chicken is supposed to be deep fried, but I tried this in my air fryer after dredging and spraying the pieces with a little oil, and it came out so crispy! 380°F for 25 minutes, flipping halfway, and I didn’t have to deal with a giant pot of hot oil splattering all over my stove. Still juicy, still crunchy, 10/10 for anyone who hates deep frying at home.