Buttermilk Fried Chicken

By Sam Sifton

Updated Nov. 25, 2024

Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Spencer Richards.
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
5(2,088)
Comments
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Here is a basic yet delicious recipe for buttermilk fried chicken, with a crisp crust and luscious interior. Learn this recipe and perfect your frying technique, and then expand your fried chicken repertoire. Try adding some paprika or cayenne to the dredge, or a bit of hot sauce to the brine. And don't forget to drizzle hot honey over it all before serving.

Featured in: How to Make Fried Chicken

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1chicken, approximately 3 to 3½ pounds, cut into 10 pieces (or use a mix of thighs and drumsticks)
  • 3 to 4cups buttermilk
  • 3tablespoons kosher salt, more as needed
  • 2teaspoons ground black pepper, more as needed
  • 1½cups all-purpose flour
  • 3cups peanut oil, lard or a neutral oil like canola, more as needed
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

802 calories; 59 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 35 grams monounsaturated fat; 16 grams polyunsaturated fat; 47 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 12 grams sugars; 23 grams protein; 869 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place chicken pieces in a bowl and toss them with buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt and a healthy grind of black pepper. Cover and marinate for at least an hour and up to a day.

  2. Step 2

    Combine flour, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl or, ideally, a paper bag large enough to accommodate the flour and the pieces of chicken.

  3. Step 3

    Pour oil into a large, heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet with high sides and a lid, to a depth of a few inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.

  4. Step 4

    Set a rack on a baking sheet or tray. Place the chicken pieces in the paper bag filled with the flour mixture and shake well to coat, or toss them in the bowl with the flour mixture to achieve a similar result.

  5. Step 5

    Shake off excess flour and fry the pieces of chicken skin-side down, in batches so as not to crowd the pan, for about 5 to 15 minutes, covered by the lid. Remove the lid, turn over the chicken pieces, and cook for about 5 to 15 minutes more, uncovered, until they are cooked through and a deep golden brown. Color is as or more important than time: Watch your chicken and get it out when it's golden brown.

  6. Step 6

    Remove chicken to the rack to drain and rest, sprinkle with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,088 user ratings
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Comments

betteirene

Save the buttermilk brine and the dredging flour. When the chicken is done frying, pour off all but 1/4 to 1/2 cup oil. Stir in enough of the dredging flour to absorb all the oil (usually a equal parts oil and flour, but not always). Cook the roux over medium heat for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Pour in the buttermilk and bring the gravy to a boil. If it's too thick, add enough milk to bring it to the consistency you like. You won't need salt, but might like to add pepper

Sam Sifton

Not a misprint, but I can clarify: if you marinate your chicken in buttermilk overnight, and pull it from the fridge as specified here, and then get it right into the oil, it's going to be colder going in than in Melissa's recipe where you let it sit for a while at room temperature before frying. So it's going to take longer to cook. As another reader points out, color is as or more important perhaps than time: Watch your chicken and get it out when it's golden brown.

Mark

Marinate in buttermilk overnight; it really does matter. I coat my bird with spices (get creative) and leave it in the fridge a few hours before I put it in the overnight marinade. Mix a cup of crushed saltines into your dredge (I use Ritz). It gives the crust a tempura crispness. Dredge BEFORE you heat your oil for optimum binding to your chicken. I use a stockpot for frying (no overflow). Your chicken begins to "float" right at the 10 minute mark; it's done.

Theresa

I've never succeeded with making fried chicken. Always burned on the outside and raw inside. This recipe though was perfection. The chicken was perfectly cooked and delicious. My only complaint is that it's very messy to make.

BK

I made this tonight and it was so good. I didn’t have buttermilk so I added a tbsp of lemon juice and milk. Let that sit for 5 minutes before adding it to the chicken. In the flour mixture I added paprika and garlic.

NixyKnox

White Lily flour with a little baking powder in there was a great suggestion.

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