This buttermilk fried chicken uses an overnight marinade and a seasoned flour-and-cornstarch coating. Fry the eight bone-in pieces in small batches, measure the oil temperature, and check each piece with a food thermometer before serving. A clean rack keeps the finished coating off the tray while it drains.
Allow 20 minutes for preparation, 12–24 hours for refrigerated marinating, and roughly 40 minutes for frying. Larger pieces or a smaller pan can take longer. The timings are planning estimates; temperature determines when the chicken is cooked.
| Yield | 4 servings, 8 pieces |
|---|---|
| Preparation | 20 minutes, plus 12–24 hours marinating |
| Cooking | About 40 minutes, depending on batch size |
| Total | About 13–25 hours, including marinating |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
Ingredients
For the buttermilk marinade
- 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces, about 1.6 kg / 3.5 lb
- 480 ml / 2 US cups buttermilk
- 30 g kosher salt, weighed because brands differ by volume
- 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the dredge
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 60 g cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
For coating and frying
- 120 ml / ½ US cup additional fresh buttermilk for the second dip; add more to the dipping bowl if needed
- Peanut oil or another refined oil suitable for frying; quantity depends on the pan and its safe fill level
Equipment and setup
- A heavy, deep frying pan or a 5-quart Dutch oven
- A frying thermometer rated for hot oil and an instant-read food thermometer
- A tray for breaded raw chicken and a separate clean wire rack over a rimmed tray for cooked pieces
- Wide bowls, tongs, and a kitchen scale
Leave generous space above the oil for bubbling and displacement. Lodge’s frying guidance limits oil to half the pan’s height before food is added. Use a lower level if your pan’s instructions require it. A fixed 1.5-liter quantity is unsuitable for every pan; never pour that amount into a shallow skillet without checking the level.
Instructions
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Marinate under refrigeration. Mix the 480 ml buttermilk with the weighed salt, hot sauce, paprika, and garlic powder. Add the chicken, cover, and refrigerate for 12–24 hours. Keep it refrigerated until you are ready to coat it. Do not rinse raw chicken; USDA warns that rinsing can spread contamination.
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Mix the dredge. Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. The flour-to-cornstarch ratio here is 4:1 by weight. Put the additional fresh buttermilk in a separate bowl.
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Coat the pieces. Lift a piece from the marinade and let excess liquid drip back. Press it into the dredge, dip into the fresh buttermilk, then coat again with dredge. Put it on the raw-chicken tray. Repeat and allow the coating to stand for about 10 minutes while the oil heats. Discard the used marinade and all leftover dipping liquid and dredge after coating; keep them away from cooked food.
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Heat the oil. Bring it to 350°F (177°C), watching the frying thermometer. Keep its sensing area submerged without touching the pan, following its instructions. Do not leave heating oil unattended.
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Fry a small batch. Lower pieces carefully into the oil, away from you. Start with three or four only if they fit without crowding; use fewer for large pieces. Adjust the burner to maintain approximately 325°F (163°C) during frying. This target is consistent with ThermoWorks’ frying guidance. Let the oil recover before the next batch.
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Turn and check. Turn pieces carefully as the undersides brown, beginning to check around 5–8 minutes. Continue cooking, turning as needed for even browning. Measure the thickest meat in each piece without touching bone. All pieces, including breasts, must reach at least 165°F (74°C) before serving, following USDA poultry guidance. Dark meat may be cooked further, to around 175°F (79°C), for texture preference. Do not use color or sizzling sounds to decide that it is safe.
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Drain and serve. Move finished pieces to the separate clean rack in one layer. Give them about five minutes before serving. If the crust browns before the center reaches temperature, follow the oven-finishing instructions in our fried chicken troubleshooting guide.
Holding and leftovers
For a short wait between batches, use a warm oven with the door closed and verify that the food stays at 140°F (60°C) or above. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours, or one hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F (32°C). Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat on an oven-safe rack at 375°F (190°C) until the meat reaches 165°F; elapsed minutes alone are not a reliable endpoint. These limits follow USDA’s leftover guidance.
Serving suggestions
Serve with slaw, biscuits, greens, or white rice. Offer pickles and hot sauce alongside the chicken so diners can season their portions without wetting the entire batch.
Method note: The ingredient formula is retained from this site’s earlier recipe and has not been independently kitchen-tested. Linked sources support the temperature and handling guidance, not a claim of testing this exact recipe.