How to Make Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, this buttermilk southern fried chicken is your new go-to comfort food. It's easy to make, full of flavor, and perfect for any meal!
Servings: 4 servings
Cost: $0.68 per serving
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3-4 pound whole chicken or bone-in, skin-on, pre-cut whole chicken
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups full fat buttermilk
- 3/4 to 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
- peanut oil or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Place chicken into a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss several times to coat evenly. Add buttermilk and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Remove chicken from buttermilk. Allow excess to drip back into the bowl. Dredge chicken in flour. Discard buttermilk.
- Pour enough oil into a cast iron skillet or braiser to equal a depth of about 1 1/2-inches. Heat the oil to between 360°F to 375°F. Adjust heat to maintain a steady temperature.
- Add chicken pieces in batches. I do two batches. It's important not to crowd your skillet. Once chicken is added, cover and cook for 6 minutes. Uncover and cook for 9 minutes more.
- Turn chicken over. Cover and cook 6 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 9 minutes more, turning pieces during the final 3 minutes to promote even browning. Chicken must reach an internal temperature of 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. Use tongs to remove the chicken to paper towels to drain. Repeat the steps with the remaining chicken pieces until all the chicken has been cooked. Season with flakey sea salt while the chicken is still hot if desired.
- Allow the chicken to rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Chicken will be hot. Serve with gravy or your favorite sauce(s). Pictured in my images is Alabama White Sauce.
Video
Notes
- Marinate ahead of time: If you want to save time on the day of cooking, marinate your chicken in the buttermilk mixture the night before.
- Want an extra crunchy coating? Dip the floured chicken back into the buttermilk, then into the flour again. When double-dipping, it's best to lay the pieces on a wire rack for air to circulate on all sides for 15 minutes before frying.
- To make fried chicken ahead of time, fry the chicken and let cool completely. Place into container with tight-fitting lid. Refrigerate. When ready to serve, reheat it in a 350°F (175°C) oven for about 10-15 minutes to crisp up. Do not heat longer than 15 minutes or the chicken may dry out.
- To freeze leftover chicken, let it cool completely, then arrange the pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 38g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 822mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 163mg | Iron: 2mg