Here’s a super crispy, juicy fried chicken recipe with that classic crunchy coating 🍗
🍗 Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Serves: 4–6
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 3–4 lbs chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, breasts, wings)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce (optional)
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the seasoned coating:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (secret to extra crispiness)
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne (optional)
For frying:
- Vegetable or peanut oil (enough for 1–2 inches in pan)
Instructions
1️⃣ Marinate
- Mix buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt.
- Submerge chicken, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours (overnight is best).
2️⃣ Prepare coating
- In a large bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, and all seasonings.
3️⃣ Dredge
- Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Press firmly into flour mixture.
- For extra crunch: dip back into buttermilk, then flour again (double dredge).
- Let coated chicken rest 10–15 minutes before frying (helps crust stick).
4️⃣ Fry
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C).
- Fry in batches (don’t overcrowd).
- Cook about:
- 12–15 minutes for thighs/drumsticks
- 8–10 minutes for wings
- 14–16 minutes for breasts
- Internal temperature should reach 165°F (74°C).
5️⃣ Rest
- Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels — keeps it crisp).
- Let rest 5 minutes before serving.
🔥 Extra Crispy Tips
- Cornstarch makes the crust lighter and crunchier.
- Keep oil between 325–350°F — too hot burns, too cool makes it greasy.
- Don’t flip too often — once or twice is enough.
If you’d like, I can also give you:
• 🧄 A crispy oven-baked version
• 🌶 A spicy Nashville-style version
• 🍯 A honey butter fried chicken version
Which one sounds good?
