Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Bold, crunchy fried chicken brined in buttermilk and coated with a ranch-spiced crust. Juicy inside, crispy outside, and built for serious crunch.
Servings: 6 servings
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
- 1½ 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
- 2½ 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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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.
- 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
