My Mississippi mama and big mama taught me the ropes on frying chicken, and this buttermilk fried chicken recipe is the best of the best. I let that chicken marinate until all those flavors infuse throughout. Then I fry the chicken up until golden and delish in a bomb seasoned flour. It’s got all that Southern flavor for sure with a nice kick of spice. It’s straight up a dream. The colonel could never!
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How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Step 1: Add buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, Worchershire sauce, salt and pepper to a heavy duty blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour the marinade into a large bowl or a ziptop bag then add chicken making sure to completely submerge then cover and refrigerate for 5-6 hours.
Step 2: When ready to fry, add flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, onion and garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne to a large dish or to a plastic bag and combine. Next, drizzle buttermilk into the flour mixture and use a fork to mix it in to create crumbs. Using tongs, remove one piece of chicken at a time and add to the flour. Coat thoroughly, shake off access then set on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are on the tray then add to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
Step 3: Add vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet or dutch oven about ¾ inch deep and heat to 350 degrees. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let it get back to room temperature for 10 minutes then add a few at a time to oil making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for 13-15 minutes turning chicken halfway. T
Step 4: To make sure chicken is done, check for golden brown crunchy exterior and an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Remove and drain on paper towels or on wire racks. Add chicken to a preheated oven to stay warm while you complete the rest of the components.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup tabasco sauce
- 1 tbsp worcheshire sauce
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 chicken pieces wings, legs, thighs or breasts
To Fry Chicken
- vegetable oil for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp buttermilk
Instructions
To Marinade
- Add buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, Worchershire sauce, salt and pepper to a heavy duty blender or food processor and process until smooth.
- Pour the marinade into a large bowl then add chicken making sure to completely submerge then cover and refrigerate for 5-6 hours.
To Fry
- When ready to fry, add flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, onion and garlic powder, black pepper and cayenne to a plastic bag and shake together until combined.
- Next, drizzle buttermilk into the flour mixture and use a fork to mix it in to create crumbs.
- Using tongs, remove one piece of chicken at a time and add to the flour bag. Coat thoroughly, shake off access then set on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are on the tray then add to the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Add vegetable oil to a cast iron skillet or dutch oven about ¾ inch deep and heat to 350 degrees.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and let it get back to room temperature for 10 minutes then add a few at a time to oil making sure you don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry for 13-15 minutes turning chicken halfway. To make sure chicken is done, check for golden brown crunchy exterior and an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
- Remove and drain on paper towels. Add chicken to a preheated oven to stay warm while you complete the rest of the components.
Notes
For Storage
Allow the chicken to completely cool, wrap it well (with aluminum foil or plastic wrap) and store on the top shelf of the fridge. To reheat, let the chicken rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and cover a baking sheet with foil. Place the chicken on the baking sheet, cover with another piece of foil to insulate and bake for 15-20 minutes.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- Marinate AT LEAST 5 hours! BEST if overnight! The flavor will really get in that chicken if you give it as much time as you can.
- Bring your chicken back to room temperature before frying! Adding seriously cold chicken to hot oil can make the chicken cook unevenly or get soggy because it will bring the temp of the oil down.
- Let the chicken set for at least 15 minutes. This is my personal tip but I like doing this because it prevents the breading from slipping off your chicken.
- Don’t crowd the pieces in the pot: If you add too much chicken to the oil, it will bring down the temperature of the oil and cause it to be soggy.
Serving Suggestions
- Mashed potatoes with a homemade sawmill gravy are a hit with fried chicken.
- For heartier sides, this baked mac and cheese and this cornbread dressing are the perfect sides to serve with this.
- For some veggies, collard greens, turnip greens or mustard greens are the way to go!
- For a delish bread, I always go with Southern buttermilk cornbread or flaky biscuits.
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Recipe Help
My go-to substitute is to use a three-quarters cup of whole milk and a one-quarter cup of plain greek yogurt. The yogurt gives the milk enough acid to work in a similar manner.
You can use some visual clues such as the color of the chicken but the most accurate is to use an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the chicken. It should register 170F when it’s cooked and ready, this will take about 15 minutes for the wings and breast pieces and 18 to 20 minutes for the legs and thighs.
More Fried Chicken Recipes
- Big Mama’s Classic Fried Chicken
- Sweet Tea Fried Chicken
- Fried Chicken Gizzards
- Fried Chicken Biscuits
- Chicken Fried Chicken
- Oven Fried Chicken Tenders
*Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating and leave comments below!* Post a photo of how your version of the recipe came out on Instagram (using #grandbabycakes)!!
This buttermilk fried chicken recipe was originally published November 2016. It has been updated with new images and content.
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Is there any way this recipe could be adapted for the air fryer? I really want to try this but I don’t fry chicken in oil anymore.
Yes I would check out my baked chicken tenders recipe. You can duplicate that process and just use an air fryer.
Honestly, one of the best buttermilk chicken recipes out there! Delicious crispy coating, and very succulent chicken!
This was super easy (thanks for the great step-by-steps) and flavorful. We made 2 batches for a big family dinner and it was a hit!
This is my second time making this recipe. It’s so good. My daughter loves it!
You had me at buttermilk!! Wow that was amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
The chicken was super tasty and crunchy! I loved the buttermilk touch!
I’ve now made and enjoyed three of your recipes this past weekend! Buttermilk Fried Chicken on Saturday, Spanish Chicken and Rice + Lemon Pound Cake on Sunday.
For this recipe, I used drumsticks. I only had time to marinate about 3-1/2 – 4 hours – next time I will plan ahead for overnight. I overcooked the chicken a little but I cannot believe how juicy it was inside and how we could hear the crunch as we bit into chicken. I like my chicken like a bright golden color, I cooked the drumsticks like 3 minutes too long. It was golden..but kinda dark. BUT delicious.
I like this page a lot. It’s encouraging me to start some Sunday traditions with my family.
I made the chicken on Tuesday and my son loved it so much, I’m making it again on Sunday, at first I used smoked paprika, didn’t know I had some pimenton so I will be using it on Sunday…he loved the dip too. I’ve tried many other recipes of yours and loveee them. I cook all the time, so I’m always looking for new ways to prepare my dishes. I like the way the season is all through the chicken not just on the outside……Thank you!
Oh my goodness, this recipe was wonderful! The chicken was delicious but I forgot to drizzle the dip on the chicken. I just didn’t wanna stop eating to get it, I did make it too! This will be my fried chicken recipe forever! Thank you very much.
Oh my God: love love me some , i truly can eat it everyday seriously, your recipes R the best next to my Mama. Growing up in Mississippi was my best memories of fried chicken N catfish oh and my mother homemade apple and fig jellies, girlfriend i can go on and on but i must stop now and check on my Chicken.