Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
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This homemade fried chicken is no joke! We’re talking golden crispy on the outside, impossibly juicy on the inside, and a bold flavor you won’t forget easily. The secret? A long soak in seasoned buttermilk that builds big flavor from the inside out. Cook a batch in 12 minutes using pantry staples!
Who doesn’t love a chicken dinner? I cook apricot chicken or honey mustard chicken if we’re in the mood for something saucy, and blackened chicken tenders or parmesan and garlic wings when we need something quick and tasty. However, these buttermilk fried chicken legs are our go-to when we’re in need of some serious comfort food.
I used to go to my Aunt’s house and get KFC with the family, now I get to treat them to this dish when they visit me at my home. Fried chicken is great for a casual dinner, a backyard picnic, or for sharing at parties. Make extra because the kids are crazy about this!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Easy process: Marinate, coat in flour, fry, and serve.
- Easy, everyday ingredients: Chicken drumsticks, buttermilk, flour, and a few pantry spices.
- Flavor-packed: Love that bold, Southern-style flavor.
- Juicy every time: Buttermilk isn’t just for flavor; it tenderizes the chicken too.
- Better than takeout: Once you master this at home, you’ll skip the drive-thru every time.
- Make-ahead friendly: The seasoned chicken can marinate overnight and be fried fresh when you’re ready the next day.
How to Make Fried Chicken
Make this ultra-crispy buttermilk-fried chicken in less than 30 minutes of active time, including coating and cooking. I usually marinate the drumsticks in buttermilk in the afternoon so they’re ready for quick frying in time for dinner. Get ready for some golden, crunchy perfection!
Scroll to the bottom of this post for a printable recipe card with a full list of ingredients, measurements, and step-by-step instructions.
Ingredient Notes
- Buttermilk: Use store-bought or make homemade buttermilk by adding lemon juice, vinegar, or cream of tartar to regular milk until it sours slightly.
- Spice blend: I use paprika, garlic powder, and onion for this recipe.
- Vegetable oil: For frying. Use any oil with a high smoke point for optimal crisping.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Buttermilk fried chicken can’t be easier to make. It takes 4 simple steps to get perfectly cooked chicken that’s crispy on the outside, tender and juicy inside. Yum!
Here’s the summary: After marinating in buttermilk, simply dredge the drumsticks in the flour blend and deep fry. Think you can do it? I do!
Now for the details. Rinse the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry. Place them in a baking dish or bowl and pour buttermilk over them. Add half of the salt and pepper. Then, cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
In another second bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Then, dredge each drumstick. Next, fry in oil. Be careful not to burn yourself! Definitely cool slightly before serving because these babies will be HOT.
Substitutions
This buttermilk fried chicken recipe is super simple and uses basic ingredients, but feel free to switch things up with what you have on hand or prefer to use. Here are some quick and easy swaps:
- Chicken drumsticks: Substitute with bone-in chicken thighs, boneless chicken breasts, or even chicken tenders.
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Buttermilk: No buttermilk? Use plain yogurt thinned with a little water.
- Paprika: Use smoked paprika for a deeper flavor or chili powder for a spicier profile.
- Vegetable oil: Replace with canola oil, peanut oil, or lard.
Expert Tips
- Use cold buttermilk to keep the chicken firm before frying.
- Try a hot sauce buttermilk marinade by adding a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the buttermilk, which gives the chicken a little heat and boosts the overall flavor complexity.
- When dredging, use one of your hands for dipping in buttermilk and the other for the dry flour. This keeps the coating from clumping and your hands cleaner.
- Don’t crowd the deep fryer. Fry in batches. Overcrowding lowers the oil temperature and leads to soggy, unevenly cooked chicken.
- After each batch, give your oil a few minutes to return to frying temp. Rushing the next round results in pale, greasy chicken.
- Let them cool on a paper towel to absorb the extra grease before serving, or you’ll go through a bunch of napkins trying to keep your hands clean.
How to Store This Recipe
Transfer cooked chicken into an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days, or up to 1 month in the freezer. Reheat in the oven at 325 F for 10 minutes or until heated through or in the air fryer at 325 F for 5 minutes. Bake from frozen at 450 F for about 15 minutes or until warmed through.
What to Serve with Fried Chicken
Pair fried chicken with a mix of comforting, crunchy, and refreshing sides like creamy mashed potatoes, coleslaw, green beans, and flaky buttermilk biscuits. Keep things light with a fresh garden salad or roasted veggies.
More Easy Chicken Recipes To Try
- Ruth’s Chris stuffed chicken
- Herb-crusted chicken
- Chicken pot pie
- Sheet pan chicken fajitas
- Cheesy chicken and asparagus bake
The Easiest Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 medium chicken drumsticks
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- vegetable oil
Instructions
- Rinse the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry. Place them in a baking dish or bowl and pour buttermilk over them. Add half of the salt and pepper. Make sure the chicken is coated, then cover and chill for at least 2 hours.
- In another second bowl, mix the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and the remaining salt and pepper.
- Remove one drumstick from the buttermilk one at a time and let the excess liquid drip off before rolling the drumsticks in the seasoned flour. Be thorough and coat the whole surface. Press the flour onto the chicken with your hands for an extra crispy coating.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or a deep pot to 350 °F–375 °F. Work in batches to put a few dredged chicken legs in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the fryer. Fry for 12-15 minutes until they're golden brown, crispy, and cooked inside. The chicken should have an internal temperature of 165 °F.
- Once cooked, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels that will soak up the extra oil. Cool slightly before serving.
Notes
- Use cold buttermilk to keep the chicken firm before frying.
- Try a hot sauce buttermilk marinade by adding a splash of your favorite hot sauce to the buttermilk, which gives the chicken a little heat and boosts the overall flavor complexity.
- When dredging, use one of your hands for dipping in buttermilk and the other for the dry flour. This keeps the coating from clumping and your hands cleaner.
- Don’t crowd the deep fryer. Fry in batches, if needed.
- After each batch, give your oil a few minutes to return to frying temp. Rushing the next round results in pale, greasy chicken.
You’re not seriously frying in vegetable oil I hope!
Hi, Monica! Vegetable oil is the most accessible option for most people, but the recipe does mention swapping it for canola oil, peanut oil, or lard. All of these are great choices with a high smoke point. Lard is my personal preference.