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Buttermilk fried chicken gets the ultra-crispy treatment with a ranch-seasoned dredge and a tangy overnight brine. You get juicy meat, a craggly golden crust, and flavor that hits from all sides.

Two pieces of buttermilk fried chicken on a plate with mashed potatoes.
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Craving crispy without the deep fry? Our Baked Cornflake Chicken has a crunchy crust with a lighter touch.

Here’s Why This Fried Chicken Recipe Works

Buttermilk brine = tender, flavorful chicken: The acidity in buttermilk breaks down the proteins just enough to keep things juicy, while salt and hot sauce sneak flavor deep into the meat.

Ranch-seasoned dredge adds punch: Dry Ranch mix gives the crust a zesty backbone that plays well with the tangy brine.

Cornstarch and baking powder = ultra-crispy coating: This combo lightens the flour and helps create those signature craggly bits that fry up extra crunchy.

Oven finish guarantees doneness without over-frying: Starting in hot oil and finishing in the oven gives you a golden crust without sacrificing perfectly cooked meat.

Several pieces of southern fried chicken on a rack.

Recipe Tips

Brine at least 4 hours (overnight is best): Long enough to tenderize and season deeply, but not so long the texture turns mushy. Aim for 12–18 hours if you can.

Use part of the brine in the dredge: That little trick creates sticky clumps in the flour mixture that gives the chicken a craggly crust.

Don’t skip the 30-minute rest post-dredging: It helps the coating set up and stick better during frying.

Fry in small batches: Crowding the pot drops the oil temp fast and leads to greasy chicken. Stick to 2–4 pieces at a time.

Monitor oil temp closely: Start at 340°F; expect it to dip to around 315°F. Let it recover before adding the next batch.

If you’re looking for something oven-roasted instead, our Baked Chicken Quarters are simple, juicy, and full of flavor without the frying.

A plate filled with a stack of buttermilk brined fried chicken.

Buttermilk Brined Fried Chicken

This buttermilk fried chicken delivers serious crunch with bold, tangy flavor and tender, juicy meat beneath a crisp, craggy crust. It’s a classic done right. No shortcuts, no soggy coating.

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A plate filled with southern fried chicken brined in buttermilk.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Brine Time: 4 hours
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Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Bold, crunchy fried chicken brined in buttermilk and coated with a ranch-spiced crust. Juicy inside, crisp outside, and built for serious crunch.

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Servings: 6 servings
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Ingredients 

Buttermilk Brine

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons Kosher salt, or 1 ½ tablespoon regular salt
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons hot sauce, like Tabasco or Frank’s RedHot, optional
  • 4 pounds chicken pieces, thighs, drumsticks, breasts, bone-in or boneless will work

Flour Dredge

  • cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons ranch seasoning, or 1 packet if using store-bought
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

For Frying

  • quarts vegetable oil, or peanut oil
  • coarse salt, or extra ranch seasoning to sprinkle after frying

Instructions 

Brine the Chicken

  • In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, salt, and hot sauce (if using). Add the chicken and make sure it’s fully submerged.
    If it’s not completely covered, transfer everything to a large sealable bag. The brine will surround the chicken better that way. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
    Several chicken pieces getting brined in buttermilk.

Dredge the Chicken

  • In a wide bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, Ranch seasoning, salt, pepper, and baking powder.
    Add about ⅓ cup of the brine to the flour mixture and stir until you see some clumpy bits form. This helps create a craggly, textured coating.
    Mixing flour with spices and seasonings.
  • Working with one piece at a time, remove the chicken from the brine and press it into the flour dredge, coating it thoroughly. Press firmly so the coating sticks, then shake off any excess.
    Coating buttermilk brined chicken in flour.
  • Transfer the dredged chicken to a wire rack and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. This gives the coating time to adhere and helps prevent it from sloughing off in the oil.
    Several chicken pieces sitting on a rack after getting dredged.

Fry in Batches

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a wire rack.
Add oil to a Dutch oven or large heavy pot until it reaches about 4 inches deep. Heat the oil to 340°F to 350°F over medium heat.
  • Carefully lower the chicken into the hot oil, working in batches of 3 to 4 pieces to avoid crowding the pan. The oil temperature will drop to around 315°F to 320°F during frying.
    Adding coated buttermilk chicken pieces to hot oil.
  • Fry until the coating is golden brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Check the internal temperature: white meat should register 165°F; dark meat (thighs and drumsticks) should be 170–175°F.
  • If the crust is golden but the inside isn’t fully cooked, transfer the chicken to the wire rack on the baking sheet and finish in the oven for 5 to 15 minutes, or until it reaches the correct internal temp.
  • Smaller pieces may not need oven time, and boneless cuts often cook through in the oil alone.

Rest and Serve

  • Let the fried chicken rest for 10–20 minutes before serving. This helps the juices settle and keeps the coating crisp. Sprinkle lightly with coarse salt or more Ranch seasoning, if desired.

Notes

Make-Ahead Tip: Fried chicken can be made ahead and re-crisped just before serving. Let it rest in the fridge for a few hours, then drop it back into 400°F oil for 3–5 minutes to bring back that crunchy crust.
Marinate: The longer the chicken sits in the buttermilk brine, the more tender and juicy it gets. But don’t push it past 48 hours. Too long, and the texture can turn mushy.
Don’t Crowd the Pot: Fry just 2 to 3 pieces at a time. Crowding cools the oil too quickly and leads to greasy chicken.
The Oil Temp: If the oil temperature drops too low, let it come back up before adding the next batch. Frying at the right temp keeps the crust crisp and the inside juicy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 651kcal, Carbohydrates: 23g, Protein: 42g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 186mg, Sodium: 2229mg, Potassium: 471mg, Fiber: 0.5g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 397IU, Vitamin C: 4mg, Calcium: 116mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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About Dahn Boquist

Dahn Boquist is a retired nurse turned recipe developer, home cook, and baker with years of hands-on experience creating and testing from-scratch recipes. She specializes in whole-food cooking with creative twists on classic dishes. When she’s not in the kitchen, she enjoys sharing meals with family, exploring the Pacific Northwest, and spending time with her grandchildren.

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