Buttermilk Fried Chicken
This pan fried Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe produces perfectly golden brown crispy chicken with a light herb-seasoned breading.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 pounds chicken, skin on (approximately 8 pieces, thighs and drumsticks are best)
Marinade
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoons dried sage
- 2 cups buttermilk
Seasoning and Coating
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 1/2 teaspsoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- vegetable oil for frying (oil should be 1-2 inches deep in frying pan)
Instructions
Preparing and marinating chicken.
- Place chicken pieces in a large bowl then add salt, pepper, garlic, dried mustard, paprika and sage. Stir to evenly coat chicken. Pour the buttermilk over the seasoned chicken and stir well.
- Refrigerate chicken with marinade for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. The longer you marinate the chicken, the more tender and flavorful it will be.
Seasoning and frying chicken.
- In a shallow dish that is large enough to place chicken in, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika, basil, thyme, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.
- In a large, heavy bottom pan, heat oil to about 340 degrees. You want to be able to fry the outside to a crisp golden brown without burning while, still cooking the chicken thoroughly.
- Working one piece at a time, remove each piece of chicken from the marinade, and place it into the shallow dish with the flour mixture. Toss to cover. Make sure the entire surface of each piece of chicken is coated well.
- Place the chicken into the preheated oil. Cook 4 or 5 pieces at a time, but don’t crowd the pan. Turn as necessary and fry until golden brown. It will take about 15 minutes for each piece to cook. Make sure each piece is fully cooked, reaching an internal temperature of 170 degrees F*.
- Place chicken on a wire rack to drain.
Notes
It may take some test pieces to find the temp that cooks the chicken golden on the outside and fully cooked on the inside.
*I recommend keeping a candy thermometer in the oil as you cook, as the temperature can drop as you place cold chicken in the hot oil. You will need to adjust the heat accordingly to stay around 340 degrees.
Storage: Buttermilk fried chicken will keep for 3-5 days in the fridge.
- It is best reheated in the oven at 325 for 10 minutes or until heated through, or in the air fryer for about 5 minutes.
- It may be frozen for up to 3 months. Then, to reheat, bake from frozen for about 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
Nutrition
Calories: 447kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 28gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 1134mgPotassium: 613mgFiber: 2gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 765IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 213mgIron: 4mg
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.