Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe delivers shatteringly crisp crust and juicy, well-seasoned meat. It suits weeknight cooks and weekend hosts who want classic southern fried chicken, with a total time of about 5 hours including the marinade. I grew up frying chicken on Sundays, and I still chase that same stovetop sizzle.
Why You Should Try This Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
This Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe uses a tangy buttermilk soak to season the meat and tenderize every bite. A flour and cornstarch dredge plus a quick double-dip gives extra crunchy, craggly crust without fuss.
I hold the oil steady at 325 to 350 degrees F, which yields golden crust and fully cooked meat without scorch. You can fry in a Dutch oven or cast iron skillet, and the method stays friendly for beginners.
The crust shatters, the meat stays outrageously juicy, and the table goes quiet except for happy crunches ★★★★★
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken
- 3 to 4 pounds bone-in mixed pieces, skin on (thighs, drumsticks, breasts, wings)
- Buttermilk marinade
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce, optional but recommended
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked or sweet paprika
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, to taste
- No buttermilk? Use 2 cups whole milk plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar, rest 10 minutes. Plain yogurt thinned with water also works.
- Pantry shortcut: swap the spice mix for 2 to 3 tablespoons Cajun seasoning. If it runs salty, reduce the added salt.
- Dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon black or white pepper
- Brand note: White Lily fries up extra light; Gold Medal works great too.
- Oil and finish
- 2 quarts peanut, canola, or vegetable oil
- Fine salt for finishing
- Hot honey or your favorite hot sauce, optional
- Equipment
- Heavy pot or Dutch oven, or a large cast iron skillet
- Deep-fry thermometer or instant-read thermometer
- Wire rack set over a sheet pan
- Tongs and a spider or slotted spoon
How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
Step 1: Mix the marinade and soak
Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne in a large bowl. Add chicken and toss to coat fully, then cover and chill at least 4 hours. I go overnight for maximum flavor and tenderness.
Step 2: Set up the dredge
Stir flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, paprika, and pepper in a shallow dish. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan for the coated chicken. This setup keeps the crust from getting soggy.
Step 3: Heat the oil
Pour oil into your pot to reach about halfway up the sides. Heat to 350 degrees F over medium heat and adjust the burner to hold 325 to 350 degrees F. Steady heat gives you crisp crust and juicy meat.
Step 4: Dredge the chicken
Lift a piece from the marinade and let excess drip off. Coat in the flour mixture and press to pack on all the nooks. For extra crunch, dip back into the buttermilk and then into the flour a second time. Set coated pieces on the rack for 10 minutes so the coating hydrates and clings.
Step 5: Fry in batches
Lower a few pieces into the hot oil, skin side down, and space them out. Fry thighs and drumsticks about 12 to 15 minutes total, turning as needed; fry breasts about 10 to 12 minutes; fry wings about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep the oil at 325 to 350 degrees F and adjust the heat as the batch cooks. Check for 165 degrees F at the thickest part near the bone.
Step 6: Rest and season
Move cooked chicken to a clean rack and sprinkle with a pinch of fine salt while the crust still sizzles. Let it rest 10 minutes so juices settle and the crust sets. Keep batches warm in a 250 degree F oven if needed.
Step 7: Optional spicy finish
Warm 2 tablespoons butter with 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce until it bubbles. Toss the chicken lightly or drizzle over the top. Hot honey also pairs beautifully with the tangy crust.
Tips & Tricks
- Use cornstarch in the dredge to boost crunch and keep the crust lighter.
- Let coated chicken rest 10 minutes before frying so the flour hydrates and sticks.
- Hold oil at 325 to 350 degrees F; too hot burns the crust, too cool turns it greasy.
- Fry in batches and avoid crowding to maintain temperature and crispness.
- Season the crust right after frying so salt clings while the surface stays hot.
- Skim brown bits between batches to prevent off flavors.
- Park cooked pieces on a wire rack, not paper towels, to keep the bottom crisp.
- Want even more texture? Double-dip: marinade, flour, back to marinade, back to flour.
- Use an instant-read thermometer to pull pieces right at 165 degrees F.
- Strain cooled oil through a fine mesh and reuse it once or twice for future frying.
What to Serve with Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
I love this crispy fried chicken with tangy coleslaw, sliced pickles, and warm buttermilk biscuits. Add creamy mac and cheese, corn on the cob, or a simple tomato-cucumber salad for freshness. Drizzle hot honey or pass white gravy for a classic touch. Pour sweet tea, a cold lager, or bubbly cider to round out the meal.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Mix the marinade and soak the chicken up to 24 hours ahead; the flavor deepens and the texture stays tender. Keep leftover fried chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat on a rack set over a sheet pan at 400 degrees F until hot and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes from chilled or 20 to 25 minutes from frozen. An air fryer at 375 degrees F also re-crisps nicely in 7 to 10 minutes.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk the buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne together in a large bowl.
- Add the chicken pieces to the bowl, turning to coat them fully in the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- When ready to fry, stir together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, kosher salt, paprika, and pepper in a shallow dish to make the dredge.
- Set a wire rack over a sheet pan to hold the coated chicken so the crust doesn’t get soggy.
- Pour the oil into a heavy pot, Dutch oven, or large cast iron skillet so it comes about halfway up the sides. Heat the oil to 350°F (175°C), then adjust the heat to maintain 325°F to 350°F while frying.
- Lift one piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge it in the flour mixture, pressing so the coating adheres in all the nooks and crannies.
- For an extra crunchy crust, dip the coated chicken back into the buttermilk marinade and then into the flour mixture a second time. Place the coated chicken on the prepared rack and repeat with the remaining pieces. Let the coated chicken rest for about 10 minutes so the coating hydrates and clings.
- Working in batches, carefully lower a few pieces of chicken into the hot oil, skin side down, leaving space between them so the temperature stays steady.
- Fry thighs and drumsticks for about 12 to 15 minutes total, breasts for about 10 to 12 minutes, and wings for about 8 to 10 minutes, turning as needed. Maintain the oil temperature between 325°F and 350°F.
- Check the internal temperature of each piece at the thickest part near the bone; the chicken is done when it reaches 165°F (74°C).
- Transfer fried chicken to a clean wire rack set over a sheet pan and immediately sprinkle lightly with fine salt while the crust is still hot and sizzling.
- Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes so the juices settle and the crust sets before serving. Keep batches warm in a 250°F oven if needed.
- For an optional spicy finish, melt the butter with the hot sauce in a small pan until bubbling, then drizzle over the fried chicken or toss the pieces lightly to coat. Serve with hot honey or additional hot sauce if desired.
Notes
Approximate per serving (about 1 generous piece with skin and crust): 520 calories; fat 33 g; saturated fat 8 g; carbohydrates 22 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 4 g; protein 32 g; sodium 1150 mg. Values will vary based on exact chicken pieces, oil retention, dredge usage, and any sauces or sides served with the chicken.