Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The American Southern classic: chicken brined overnight in buttermilk, double-dredged in seasoned flour, fried till the crust shatters and the meat stays moist.
Overview
The Southern Sunday dinner that defined a region. You start the night before, sinking bone-in chicken pieces into a buttermilk brine spiked with hot sauce and garlic so the acid tenderises the meat and the seasoning works its way deep. The next day comes the double-dredge: a roll through heavily-seasoned flour, a brief dip back in the buttermilk, then another roll through the flour, which is what gives the finished bird its craggy, almost lacy crust. Into 175°C oil for twelve to fifteen minutes per piece, turned every few minutes so the crust browns evenly. You're done when the coating is deep mahogany and a thermometer in the thigh reads 75°C. Drain on a wire rack rather than paper so the steam escapes and the crust stays shattering. Eat hot with a stack of pickles, a soft biscuit and a bottle of hot sauce on the table; cold the next day at the kitchen counter is its own justified American ritual.
Ingredients
Brine
- 8 chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, wings, breasts cut in half - bone-in, skin-on)
- 600 ml buttermilk
- 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce (Crystal or Frank's)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
Dredge
- 400 g plain flour
- 4 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Frying
- 1 ½ litres Vegetable oil (or peanut oil)
Method
Stage 1 - Brine
- Whisk all the brine ingredients in a wide bowl or zip-lock bag.
- Add the chicken; turn to coat.
- Refrigerate at least 4 hours; ideally overnight.
Stage 2 - Dredge
- Whisk all the dredge ingredients in a wide shallow bowl.
- Lift each chicken piece out of the brine, letting excess drip off - but don't shake clean. The brine on the chicken is what binds the first coat.
- Roll each piece in the seasoned flour, pressing firmly so the flour clings.
- Place on a wire rack; rest 10 minutes (lets the coating hydrate).
Stage 3 - Heat the oil
- Pour 5 cm of oil into a heavy deep pot or cast-iron skillet.
- Heat to 175°C (a small piece of dredge should sizzle vigorously when dropped in).
Stage 4 - Fry
- Working in 2-3 batches (don't crowd):
- Lower chicken pieces in carefully - large bone-in pieces first; thighs and breasts at the bottom of the pan, smaller wings and drumsticks at the top.
- Fry 12-15 minutes, turning every 3-4 minutes, maintaining oil temperature at 165-175°C.
- The chicken is done when deep mahogany brown, the coating is crisp, and the internal temperature reaches 75°C (or juices run clear).
- Drain on a wire rack (not paper, which traps steam and softens the crust).
Stage 5 - Rest and serve
- Rest 5 minutes (carry-over cooking finishes any borderline pieces).
- Serve hot with hot sauce, pickles, and biscuits.
Notes
- Buttermilk brine matters: The acid tenderises the meat and adds tang. Plain water doesn't season; yogurt-water mix is the next best substitute.
- Wire rack drain, not paper: Paper traps steam underneath the chicken and softens the crust. A rack lets air circulate.
- Don't crowd the pan: Too much chicken crashes the oil temperature; the result is greasy, pale fried chicken.
Storage
- Best fresh; reheat at 200°C for 10-12 minutes to re-crisp.
- Cold next-day fried chicken is a justified American obsession.
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