Description
Golden brown, crispy, and incredibly juicy buttermilk fried chicken with a perfect blend of buttermilk tenderness and seasoned flour crunch. This classic, family-friendly recipe delivers restaurant-quality comfort food using simple ingredients and a slow marinating process.
Ingredients
3–4 lbs chicken pieces (bone-in, skin-on, thighs, drumsticks, breasts, and/or wings)
4 cups buttermilk (whole milk preferred)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and place in a large container or resealable bag
Pour buttermilk over chicken to fully submerge; seal and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
Beat eggs in a second bowl
Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off
Dredge chicken in flour mixture, then dip into beaten eggs, allow dripping to 2-3 seconds, then return to flour and press firmly to coat
Let chicken rest on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes at room temperature
Heat oil in a heavy oven-safe skillet or cast iron pot to 325°F (about 2-3 inches deep)
Fry chicken in batches, skin side down, for 6-8 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy (adjust heat as needed to maintain stable oil temperature)
Transfer to a serving dish and keep warm in an oven set to 200°F (or reheat before serving if preferred)
Repeat with remaining chicken
Notes
Use a thermometer to ensure oil temperature stays around 300-325°F
For extra crispiness, let chicken rest on wire racks instead of paper towels
Bone-in pieces retain moisture better than boneless
can be made halal/grandma-style by using non-dairy shortening as pan coating if preferred
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Southern Recipes
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American, Grandma-style
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (approx 4 oz)
- Calories: 470
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 750mg
- Fat: 27g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 15g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 180mg