Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Author: Nancy
A southern comfort food, this chicken recipe has been passed around my family for generations. I still fry it in my grandmother’s cast iron skillet which is over 60 years old.
Ingredients
- 1 fryer chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 2-4 cups buttermilk – enough to completely cover chicken pieces
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ - 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper – more or less for heat
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and add buttermilk, making sure chicken is completely covered. Cover bowl with lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate 8-12 hours. If preferred, you can marinate chicken in a gallon size freezer bag. After marinating, remove chicken from refrigerator and let set on counter for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- In large bowl, whisk together until well combined flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.
- Fill a deep skillet or Dutch oven* with 1 ½ inches of vegetable oil and heat over medium-high to 365° F.
- Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove from buttermilk, shaking off excess. Dredge in flour mixture, pressing the flour mix to adhere to chicken. Place chicken in hot oil, 3-4 pieces at a time. Cook for 5-7 minutes, watching carefully to keep from browning too much. Turn chicken over, cover pan with lid, and cook for another 3-5 minutes.
- Remove chicken from oil and place in single layer on baking sheet and fry remaining pieces. Once all of the chicken is done, place in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes. This finishes cooking the chicken through.
Notes
* I prefer using a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven for the best fried chicken.
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