Crispy Dinner Chicken Fried (Printable)
Golden, crunchy, juicy fried chicken with seasoned coating. Perfect comfort food.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
02 - 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks
03 - 1 ½ cups buttermilk
→ Seasoned Flour Coating
04 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 2 teaspoons salt
06 - 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon paprika
08 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
→ For Frying
10 - 3 cups vegetable oil
→ Optional Garnish
11 - Fresh parsley, chopped
12 - Lemon wedges
# How To Make:
01 - Place chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour over the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight for maximum tenderness.
02 - In a separate shallow dish, combine flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Whisk thoroughly until evenly distributed.
03 - Remove chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Press each piece firmly into the seasoned flour mixture, ensuring complete coverage. Place coated pieces on a wire rack.
04 - In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil to 350°F. Use a thermometer to verify temperature.
05 - Fry chicken in batches, starting skin side down. Avoid overcrowding the pan. Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Transfer fried chicken to a clean wire rack over a baking sheet. Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken fall apart tender while creating that irresistible crust that shatters when you bite into it
- This recipe feeds a crowd and turns an ordinary Tuesday dinner into something people talk about for weeks
02 -
- Room temperature chicken cooks more evenly than cold straight from the fridge, so let it sit out for 20 minutes before frying
- Don't crowd the pan or the oil temperature drops and you end up with soggy disappointing chicken instead of the crispy masterpiece you're after
03 -
- For next level crust, double dip the chicken back in buttermilk and then flour again before frying
- Adding a splash of hot sauce to the buttermilk marinade gives the chicken flavor that goes all the way through, not just on the surface