This is a ST+T original recipe, y'all. It's been on here for almost 10 years and y'all have loved it as much as we do for how easy it is to make and delicious it is to eat!
We're talking classic bone-in, skin-on chicken soaked in a tangy buttermilk brine, dredged in my special well-seasoned flour mix, and fried up golden and crisp.
This is the type of chicken that holds up perfectly on its own but also plays so well with other dishes. Warm, flaky buttermilk biscuits with jam for a classic southern lunch or chicken and waffles with spicy honey butter sauce for brunch!
Jump to:
The Best Fried Chicken I've Ever Had
I have lived all over the south, from Texas to Maryland to Florida and all in between, and I learned that there's nothing like classic Deep South buttermilk fried chicken made from scratch.
During recipe development, I was looking for that perfect bite: crispy, crunchy crust and juicy seasoned meat.
The key here is a scientifically light dredge, tenderizing with lactic acid, and every step being well seasoned. It's simple and easy; nostalgic, flavorful comfort food the way it's supposed to be. And honey, we got it!
Ingredients Needed
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
For the buttermilk brine
- Chicken (10 pieces) - I break down a whole chicken and cut the breasts in half so they cook evenly. That gives you 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and 4 smaller breast pieces that are perfect for frying.
- Buttermilk - Use real, full-fat buttermilk if you can. The tangy acidity tenderizes the meat and gives it that signature flavor. If you can't find buttermilk, use whole milk and lemon juice mixed together!
- Hot Sauce - I go with Frank’s, but Crystal or Tabasco work to wake everything up.
- Seasoning Blend - We’re keeping it classic: onion powder, minced garlic, smoked paprika, dried herbs, kosher salt, and black pepper.
For the Dredge + Frying
- All Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch + Baking Powder - these two are the scientific secret to a light, shatteringly crispy crust! The cornstarch makes a web that the bubbles made by the baking powder get trapped in.
- Seasoning - onion and garlic powder, black pepper, smoked paprika, dried thyme (always!), salt. Easy and simple.
- Vegetable oil - we want an oil with a high smoke point like vegetable oil, peanut oil, or canola oil. Don’t use olive oil, it burns too easily at high temperatures.
Ingredient Substitutes
- Buttermilk Substitutes - loosen up greek yogurt, full fat plain yogurt, or sour cream with a splash of milk. None of those? Use whole milk with a good squeeze of lemon and let that sit for a couple minutes to sour.
- Flour Substitutes - for a gluten-free option, rice flour is great and makes a really crunchy crust.
How We Make My Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
Step 1
Brine the Chicken
Whisk the marinade ingredients together and brine the chicken 8–24 hours.
Take the chicken out 30 minutes before frying.
Step 2
Dredge the Chicken
Stir together the spices, flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
Press each piece chicken into the dredge until fully coated, then shake off the excess. Let it rest on a plate while you continue with the other pieces.
Step 3
Fry until GBD (golden brown delicious).
Heat oil to 325ºF. Fry in batches until golden brown and floating, about 14-22 minutes. Check the temps: 165ºF internal for dark meat, 155ºF for white meat.
Step 4
Rest and Serve.
Let the fried chicken drain on a wire rack for max crispiness. Serve hot with a little hot sauce and sides!
Equipment I Used
Chef's Tips for the Best Southern Fried Chicken
- Fry the chicken in batches, leaving space between each piece of chicken. Crowding the pan lowers the oil temperature and you'll end up with raw/soggy chicken.
- Keep the temperature between 325ºF and 350ºF. I know that the temperature can wobble while frying, but you risk soggy chicken when it's too low, and burning the chicken when it's too high. This is the sweet spot.
- Fry chicken pieces of similar size at the same time. Larger pieces like thighs or drumsticks take longer to cook than wings, so separate them to avoid overcooking the smaller pieces.
Troubleshooting
Patting the chicken really dry before dredging helps keep the crust on.
The oil dipped too low, so the crust absorbed it. A candy/deep fry thermometer will help you keep that temperature up. Pro Tip: Raise the temperature a little higher than you want it to be before adding the chicken so it doesn't drop too far down.
No, my recipe is for deep frying in a pot or frying in a cast iron skillet.
If you want that thick, super crunchy crust, go for a double dredge! Just remember to shake off the excess flour before frying.
Fried Chicken’s Best Friends
These dishes fill out your classic Southern meal!
Craving more cozy recipes? Sign up for the Sweet Tea & Thyme newsletter, save this recipe with the Pin button. If you whip it up, tag me (@sweet_tea_thyme on IG/@sweetteaandthyme on TikTok) and don’t forget to leave a star rating and note below, it helps more than you know, friend.
Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Brine
- 5 cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoon hot sauce, or less, if you're not fond of spice
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 10 pieces chicken parts, chicken breasts cut in half
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano, or dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- flaky salt, for serving
Instructions
Make the Buttermilk Marinade
- In a large bowl or two gallon-sized zip-top bags, whisk the herbs and spices into the buttermilk. Add the chicken pieces, making sure each piece is fully coated and submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but overnight is best. You can brine for up to 24 hours.5 cups buttermilk, 3 tablespoon hot sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, 3 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, tbsp kosher salt, 2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, 10 pieces chicken parts
Dredging and Frying the Brined Chicken
- When you’re ready to fry, heat about 3-5 inches of vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, about halfway up the pot. Use a deep fry/candy thermometer to bring it to 325°F.Vegetable oil
- Preheat the oven to 200ºF so you can keep the batches of chicken warm.
- While the oil heats up, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and seasonings in a large bowl. Sprinkle in about 4 tablespoons of that buttermilk brine to create those craggly bits that make the crust extra crispy.2 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 tablespoon onion powder, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 tablespoon black pepper
- Remove each piece of chicken from the brine, shaking off the excess. Dredge them in the flour mixture, pressing that flour into all the nooks and crannies, and let them rest on a plate for 5 minutes to help the coating set. Before frying, gently shake off any excess flour.
- Set a wire rack over a baking sheet next to your stove. Fry 2–4 pieces of chicken at a time for about 20–22 minutes for the bigger pieces, 14-18 minutes for the wings, until the chicken is golden brown and floats.
- When each batch is done, transfer the chicken to the rack and keep it warm in the oven. Repeat frying and transfering to the wire rack until all the chicken is fried.
- Serve hot with a sprinkle of flaky salt, drizzle of hot honey or hot sauce, and your favorite sides!flaky salt
Recipe Notes
Recipe Notes
- The calories will range between pieces anywhere from 200 for a wing, 350 for a thigh, and 450 for a breast half.
- For an extra crunchy crust, double dredge: dredge a second time in the flour mixture and let rest again for 5 minutes before frying.
- If you want, test the chicken pieces with an instant read thermometer when you pull them from the oil, the chicken should be 155℉ for breasts, thighs and legs 165℉.
Temperature Control
Keep the oil temperature between 325ºF and 350ºF. The temperature will drop as you add chicken in each batch, so I like heating up higher than 325ºF to accommodate that drop. Anything over 350ºF will result in darker crusts, risking rawness on the inside and burning the outside.Chef's Tips
-
- Buttermilk Substitutes - loosen up greek yogurt, full fat plain yogurt, or sour cream with a splash of milk.
-
- Flour Substitutes - if you're looking for a gluten-free option, rice flour is a great substitute for the all purpose flour. It also makes for some fantastically crunchy fried chicken.
Storage Instructions
- Cool the chicken completely first, steam = a soggy crust.
- Wrap in paper towels to absorb moisture and put into a zip-top bag.
- Store in the fridge for 3–4 days.
Reheat Instructions
Oven:- Preheat to 375°F.
- Let chicken rest at room temp 15–20 min.
- Place on wire rack over baking sheet.
- Bake 15 min, flipping halfway, until hot + crispy.
- Preheat to 375°F.
- Let chicken rest at room temp 10–15 min.
- Arrange in single layer.
- Heat 4–6 min, flipping once, until hot + crispy.
Leave a Reply