Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Updated Nov. 25, 2024
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1chicken, approximately 3 to 3½ pounds, cut into 10 pieces (or use a mix of thighs and drumsticks)
- 3 to 4cups buttermilk
- 3tablespoons kosher salt, more as needed
- 2teaspoons ground black pepper, more as needed
- 1½cups all-purpose flour
- 3cups peanut oil, lard or a neutral oil like canola, more as needed
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
802 calories; 59 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 35 grams monounsaturated fat; 16 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 869 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place chicken pieces in a bowl and toss them with buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt and a healthy grind of black pepper. Cover and marinate for at least an hour and up to a day.
- Step 2
Combine flour, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl or, ideally, a paper bag large enough to accommodate the flour and the pieces of chicken.
- Step 3
Pour oil into a large, heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet with high sides and a lid, to a depth of a few inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
- Step 4
Set a rack on a baking sheet or tray. Place the chicken pieces in the paper bag filled with the flour mixture and shake well to coat, or toss them in the bowl with the flour mixture to achieve a similar result.
- Step 5
Shake off excess flour and fry the pieces of chicken skin-side down, in batches so as not to crowd the pan, for about 5 to 15 minutes, covered by the lid. Remove the lid, turn over the chicken pieces, and cook for about 5 to 15 minutes more, uncovered, until they are cooked through and a deep golden brown. Color is as or more important than time: Watch your chicken and get it out when it's golden brown.
- Step 6
Remove chicken to the rack to drain and rest, sprinkle with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.
Private Notes
Comments
Save the buttermilk brine and the dredging flour. When the chicken is done frying, pour off all but 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil. Stir in enough of the dredging flour to absorb all the oil (usually a equal parts oil and flour, but not always). Cook the roux over medium heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Pour in the buttermilk and bring the gravy to a boil. If it's too thick, add enough milk to bring it to the consistency you like. You won't need salt, but might like to add pepper
Not a misprint, but I can clarify: if you marinate your chicken in buttermilk overnight, and pull it from the fridge as specified here, and then get it right into the oil, it's going to be colder going in than in Melissa's recipe where you let it sit for a while at room temperature before frying. So it's going to take longer to cook. As another reader points out, color is as or more important perhaps than time: Watch your chicken and get it out when it's golden brown.
Marinate in buttermilk overnight; it really does matter. I coat my bird with spices (get creative) and leave it in the fridge a few hours before I put it in the overnight marinade. Mix a cup of crushed saltines into your dredge (I use Ritz). It gives the crust a tempura crispness. Dredge BEFORE you heat your oil for optimum binding to your chicken. I use a stockpot for frying (no overflow). Your chicken begins to "float" right at the 10 minute mark; it's done.
Per the other reviewers... 1. Brined for almost 24 hours -a mix of bone in thighs and drumsticks. Brought it to room temp. 2. Dredged in flour with some spices and let that sit for about an hour. Then lightly redredged right before frying. 3. Heat oil until 325. Check the color. Mine took about 10 min. maybe in total. 4. Kept cooked pieces in oven at around 300. 5. Made the gravy per Betteirene's suggestion. Labor intensive but perfect.
Be sure to use fresh vegetable oil. First time I made this, it was perfect and delicious! Brined overnight, then brought to room temp for about 1 hour before dredging. This time, I followed same method, but chicken became very dark after only 3-4 mins at 350 dg oil. Chicken had not reached 165 inside, so had to finish in oven at 300 dg as another reader suggested. Read that old oil (even unused previously) can turn chicken too dark before it has finished cooking internally.
For flakier, crispy skin with craggy bits, dredge in flour, eggs, then flour again. Made a world of difference.
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