Crispy Golden Fried Chicken (Printable)
Crispy, golden-fried chicken with juicy interior. Classic comfort food perfect for sharing.
# What You Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 3 lbs 5 oz chicken pieces (legs, thighs, breasts, or mix), skin-on, bone-in
→ Marinade
02 - 2 cups buttermilk
03 - 1 ½ teaspoons salt
04 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
05 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
06 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
07 - 1 teaspoon black pepper
→ Coating
08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 1 teaspoon paprika
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
12 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
13 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
→ Frying
14 - Vegetable oil for deep frying (enough to submerge chicken)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Whisk buttermilk with salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper in a large bowl until fully combined. Add chicken pieces, turning to coat completely. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight for maximum flavor penetration.
02 - Combine flour, paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Whisk thoroughly to distribute spices evenly throughout the flour mixture.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press each piece firmly into the flour mixture, ensuring complete coverage on all sides. Place coated pieces on a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes to help coating adhere.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into deep fryer or large heavy pot to depth of at least 3 inches. Heat oil to 350°F, monitoring temperature with kitchen thermometer for accuracy.
05 - Carefully lower chicken pieces into hot oil using tongs, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, until exterior is deep golden brown and crispy, and internal temperature reaches 165°F.
06 - Transfer fried chicken to wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute and coating to set.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade works magic on chicken meat making it impossibly tender while building layers of flavor that penetrate deep inside
- This coating technique delivers that shatteringly crisp exterior that makes people reach for seconds before they've finished their first piece
02 -
- Patience with the oil temperature is everything—too cold and you get greasy chicken, too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through
- Letting coated chicken rest on a rack before frying is the step most people skip but it's crucial for that coating to adhere properly during frying
03 -
- Cold chicken straight from the refrigerator helps the coating stay put better than room temperature pieces
- Cast iron dutch ovens maintain heat better than thin pots and create that restaurant-style fried chicken texture