This buttermilk fried chicken is a family recipe that has been passed down for generations. It's juicy, and tender chicken brined in buttermilk and seasonings, then fried to crispy perfection!
I’m participating in the 2020 Juneteenth Cookout Takeover. This initiative was established to encourage the celebration of Juneteenth – a jubilee of freedom to commemorate the end of slavery – and to amplify the food traditions of black culinary creatives. Juneteenth marks the date in 1865 that the last enslaved people learned of their freedom. And for over 150 years since, Black American families, home-cooks, chefs, and culinarians have commemorated the summer holiday with a wide range of food traditions that tell a story of the perseverance of a people.
My Uncle Tuna made the BEST buttermilk fried chicken known to man. It was tasty, crispy, and put Popeye's and KFC to shame. Have you ever eaten someone's food and just felt like they literally put their soul into it?
That was my Uncle Tuna's fried chicken. I remember the house being loud and as soon as he put the fried chicken out, the room immediately went silent and all you heard was chewing and "mmmm".
This recipe is a take on his fried chicken. It's crispy and juicy and perfectly seasoned in a buttermilk marinade and then coated in seasonings and fried to perfection. This is the BEST buttermilk fried chicken you'll ever make. I guarantee that you'll be hooked at first bite.
Ingredients
Chicken - you can use you favorite cut of chicken - chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken tenders etc. I recommend using dark meat but you can use whatever you like!
Buttermilk marinade - the buttermilk is used to brine and dredge the chicken. The buttermilk acts as an acid and tenderizes the chicken. It also makes for a flavorful chicken by adding a little tanginess to the chicken. Add a pinch of hot sauce and cayenne pepper for added flavor. If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, you can make your own from buttermilk with only two ingredients. Here's my guide on how to make buttermilk!
Seasoning mix - Lawry’s garlic salt, dried rosemary, red pepper flakes, onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and kosher salt.
Breading mixture:
All purpose Flour
Corn starch - for extra crispy fried chicken!
Scallions, for garnish
Vegetable oil - for frying. You can also use canola oil, peanut oil, or lard! Just make sure to use an oil with a high smoke point to prevent the oil from burning while frying.
Substitutions
Gluten free - use almond flour instead of all purpose flour for a gluten free fried chicken.
Dairy free - use a dairy free milk and add 1 tbsp of white vinegar per cup of milk to make the buttermilk marinade.
Tips for the Best Fried Chicken
Season the flour and the chicken! This easy step makes the perfect fried chicken every time!
Do not overcrowd the pan! When frying, try to fry only 2-3 pieces at a time so that each piece can cook fully. If you add too many pieces of chicken to the pot, it'll lower the temperature of the oil and the chicken won't become nice and crispy and will also take longer to cook.
Be mindful of oil temperature! When deep frying, I like to use a candy thermometer to keep a watch on my oil. For crispy chicken, try to keep it between 360-380 degrees F.
Don't skip the marinade! This buttermilk marinade ingredients makes for juicy chicken by breaking down the proteins in the chicken which makes it super tender!
How to make Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Marinate the chicken
Pour buttermilk, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper into a large bowl and add chicken. Make sure that chicken is fully submerged in the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow chicken to soak in buttermilk mixture for 4 hours (up to overnight) in the refrigerator.
Remove chicken from the buttermilk and pat dry with paper towels – save the buttermilk.
Season chicken and flour
Add seasonings to the chicken. (there’s not real measurement of each just coat both sides of the chicken with them, light on the red pepper flakes and rosemary and heavy on the garlic salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Trust me, you can’t go wrong)
Let the seasonings sit on the chicken for about 20 minutes. In a shallow dish, combine flour and cornstarch and the seasonings.
Dredge the Chicken
Heat oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or pot, oil should be about 4-5 inches deep in the pan. Heat to roughly 360-380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grab the bowl of buttermilk and set it next to the seasoned flour mixture. Dredge marinated chicken pieces into the flour mixture, dip it into the buttermilk, and then back into the flour mixture – make sure the chicken is doused in flour, none of the meat should be exposed.
After dredging the chicken, place chicken on a wire rack and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Fry until Golden Brown
Fry 2-3 piece of chicken at a time and let the chicken cook until crispy and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will vary with the thickness of the meat. To ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.
Use tongs to remove the chicken from the oil and let the cooked chicken rest on a cooling rack or paper towels.
Add chicken to a large plate. Chop up some scallions and sprinkle over top of chicken.
What to eat with Fried Chicken
This buttermilk chicken recipe goes with just about any side dish! Here are a few of my favorite side dishes:
Fried chicken will keep for about 3-5 days in an airtight container, stored in the refrigerator. When you're ready to reheat, place in the microwave for a few minutes, until warmed throughout.
Recipe FAQs
Should I rinse buttermilk off chicken before frying?
No, but you should pat the chicken dry so that the seasonings adhere to the chicken.
Can I use milk instead of buttermilk for fried chicken?
Milk lacks the acid to tenderize the chicken. You can use milk to make buttermilk by adding a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice per cup of milk.
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This buttermilk fried chicken is a family recipe that has been passed down for generations. It's juicy, and tender chicken brined in buttermilk and seasonings, then fried to crispy perfection!
Serving: 6servings
Prep Time: 4hrs
Cook Time: 25mins
Total Time: 4hrs25mins
Calories: 592kcal
Equipment
Dutch Oven or Deep Skillet
Candy Thermometer
Paper Towels
Ingredients
2poundsChicken(chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken tenders)
3cupsButtermilk
2tbspsHot Sauce
½tspCayenne Pepper
Lawry’s garlic salt
Rosemary
Red pepper flakes
Onion powder
Smoked paprika
2cupsAll Purpose Flour
½cupCorn Starch
Scallions, for garnish
Directions
Pour buttermilk, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper into a large bowl and add chicken. Make sure that chicken is fully submerged in the buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and allow chicken to soak in buttermilk mixture for 4 hours (up to overnight) in the refrigerator.
Remove chicken from the buttermilk and pat dry with paper towels – save the buttermilk.
Add seasonings to the chicken. (there’s not real measurement of each just coat both sides of the chicken with them, light on the red pepper flakes and rosemary and heavy on the garlic salt, onion powder, and smoked paprika. Trust me, you can’t go wrong) Let the seasonings sit on the chicken for about 20 minutes.
In a shallow dish, combine flour and cornstarch and the seasonings.
Heat oil over medium heat in a deep skillet or pot, oil should be about 4-5 inches deep in the pan. Heat to roughly 360-380 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grab the bowl of buttermilk and set it next to the seasoned flour mixture. Dredge marinated chicken pieces into the flour mixture, dip it into the buttermilk, and then back into the flour mixture – make sure the chicken is doused in flour, none of the meat should be exposed.
After dredging the chicken, place chicken on a wire rack and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
Fry 2-3 piece of chicken at a time and let the chicken cook until crispy and golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Cooking time will vary with the thickness of the meat. To ensure chicken is thoroughly cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165 degrees F.
Use tongs to remove the chicken from the oil and let the cooked chicken rest on a cooling rack or paper towels.
Add chicken to a large plate. Chop up some scallions and sprinkle over top of chicken.
Eat! 🙂
Notes
Substitutions
Gluten free - use almond flour instead of all purpose flour for a gluten free fried chicken.
Dairy free - use a dairy free milk and add 1 tbsp of white vinegar per cup of milk to make the buttermilk marinade.
Tips for the Best Fried Chicken
Season the flour and the chicken! This easy step makes the perfect fried chicken every time!
Do not overcrowd the pan! When frying, try to fry only 2-3 pieces at a time so that each piece can cook fully. If you add too many pieces of chicken to the pot, it'll lower the temperature of the oil and the chicken won't become nice and crispy and will also take longer to cook.
Be mindful of oil temperature! When deep frying, I like to use a candy thermometer to keep a watch on my oil. For crispy chicken, try to keep it between 360-380 degrees F.
Don't skip the marinade! This buttermilk marinade ingredients makes for juicy chicken by breaking down the proteins in the chicken which makes it super tender!
The list below is the official list of all of the amazing Black food bloggers who contributed to the 2020 Juneteenth Cookout Takeover! Go to their page, make their recipes, check them out on Instagram and show some love!
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