Crispy Southern Fried Chicken (Print Version)
Juicy buttermilk-marinated chicken with seasoned flour coating, fried to golden perfection.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken & Marinade
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs), cut into 8 pieces
02 - 2 cups buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce (optional)
04 - 1 teaspoon salt
05 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ Seasoned Flour Coating
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 2 teaspoons paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
10 - 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
11 - 1 teaspoon salt
12 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ For Frying
13 - Vegetable oil or peanut oil, for deep frying (about 1.5 quarts)
# How to Prepare:
01 - In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce (if using), salt, and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor and tenderness.
02 - In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Remove chicken from the marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off but do not pat dry.
04 - Dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour, pressing to adhere well. Set aside on a wire rack.
05 - In a large, heavy skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 350°F.
06 - Working in batches, carefully add chicken pieces to the hot oil. Fry for 8-12 minutes per side, turning once, until golden brown, crisp, and cooked through (internal temperature should reach 165°F).
07 - Drain on a clean wire rack or paper towels. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade works magic, turning even modest chicken into something impossibly tender
- That crunch when you bite through the coating creates the kind of silence at the dinner table that means something really good just happened
02 -
- Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature fast, so work in batches and resist the urge to squeeze everything in at once
- That wire rack draining step matters, paper towels can make the bottom soggy while air keeps the crunch going on all sides
03 -
- That double-dip technique creates the kind of shatteringly crisp crust that makes people ask what your secret is
- Salt your flour mixture more generously than you think you should, some stays on the surface and never reaches the meat