Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Chicken soaked overnight in spiced buttermilk and double-dredged in seasoned flour, fried in a cast-iron skillet until extraordinarily crispy and juicy.
🛒 Ingredients
- 1.4kg chicken pieces, bone-in, skin-on
- 500ml buttermilk
- 2 tsp hot sauce
- 300g all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp salt
- vegetable oil for frying
👨🍳 Method
- 1
Mix buttermilk and hot sauce. Submerge chicken pieces completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- 2
Mix flour with all spices and salt in a large bowl.
- 3
Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- 4
Dredge each piece in seasoned flour. Return to buttermilk, then dredge again (double coat).
- 5
Rest coated chicken on a rack for 30 minutes.
- 6
Heat oil to 160°C in a cast-iron skillet (enough to come halfway up the chicken).
- 7
Fry chicken 12-15 minutes per side until deep golden brown and internal temp reaches 74°C.
- 8
Drain on a rack, season with extra salt immediately.
💡 Chef's Tips
- →The overnight buttermilk soak tenderizes the meat and creates incredible surface texture.
- →The double-dredge is mandatory for the thick, craggy crust.
- →Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels — steam escapes and keeps the crust crispy.
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