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!
Enjoy this fried chicken recipe with my homemade biscuits and honey BBQ sauce!
If you love fried chicken, be sure to check out my delicious Orange Sesame Chicken and this Better Than Takeout Butter Chicken!
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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:
- Grandma's Buttermilk Cornbread
- Baked Beans with Ground Beef
- Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
- Smoked Mac and Cheese
- Collard Greens
How to store Fried Chicken
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
No, but you should pat the chicken dry so that the seasonings adhere to the 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.
More Chicken Recipes
- Smoked Chicken Thighs
- Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs
- Smoked Chicken Breasts
- Slow Cooker Chicken Enchiladas
- Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Chicken
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Let's stay connected on social media and continue to cook together! Also, if you decide to make this recipe, please leave a star rating on the recipe card and leave a comment below! Tag @BritneyBreaksBread on Instagram and hashtag #britneybreaksbread so I can see your creations! I hope that you love this recipe as much as we do!
Buttermilk Fried Chicken with Sour Cream and Honey Sauce
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or Deep Skillet
- Candy Thermometer
- Paper Towels
Ingredients
- 2 pounds Chicken (chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or chicken tenders)
- 3 cups Buttermilk
- 2 tbsps Hot Sauce
- ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper
- Lawry’s garlic salt
- Rosemary
- Red pepper flakes
- Onion powder
- Smoked paprika
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Corn 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
- 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.
- 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!
Nutrition
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!
A Girl Called Adri | Blackened Catfish
Brazilian Kitchen Abroad | Brazilian Collard Greens with Bacon
Christy Irene | Crawfish Etoufee
Collards Are The Old Kale | Guaymas Shrimp
Dish It With Tisha | Honey Jerk Shrimp
Dude That Cookz | Cajun White Beans
Food Is Love Made Edible | Smothered Okra with Chicken & Sausage
FoodLoveTog | Braised Cabbage & Johnny cakes
Geo's Table | Curried Potato Salad
Gristle & Gossip | Sweet Potato Honey Cornbread Cake
Jamieson Diaries | Crockpot Smoked Red Beans
Lenox Bakery | Sweet Potato Cheesecake
Meiko and the Dish | Strawberry Cornbread Skillet Cobbler
Nik Snacks | Easy BBQ Pork Ribs
Orchids + Sweet Tea | The Ultimate Vegan Mac + Cheese
Pink Owl Kitchen | Strawberry Buttermilk Biscuits
Savor and Sage | Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Seasoned To Taste | Cajun Shrimp Deviled Eggs
Sense & Edibility | Blackberry Cobbler
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