Buttermilk Fried Chicken (2024)

FAQs

What does buttermilk do for fried chicken? ›

The secret to making the perfect fried chicken is the use of buttermilk, as it helps tenderize each piece while leaving each bite juicy and crispy. After marinating, dredge your chicken pieces in the flour mixture and get to frying!

It is safe to keep the food in the marinade longer, but after two days it is possible that the marinade can start to break down the fibers of the meat, causing it to become mushy.

Soak chicken in buttermilk with garlic, onions, herbs, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. Drain in colander, leaving some herbs on chicken.

Instead of the traditional flour and egg breading, use buttermilk as the liquid to stop the breading from falling off during frying. Beaten eggs and buttermilk work just as well in helping the outer coating of flour or breadcrumbs adhere to the meat.

Place the breaded chicken on a cooling rack (or a platter) and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This cooling time will help the layers of breading ingredients solidify and adhere better after the chicken cooks. Once you start cooking the chicken, be patient and don't flip it over too early.

Traditionally, some cooks will recommend using sparkling water or egg but I think my mix works even better (and saves you time & extra steps!) The lactic acid in dairy breaks down the proteins and collagen in the chicken, which softens the flesh and will make it more tender when cooked.

Issue: Not allowing the breaded chicken to rest before frying can lead to the breading falling off. Solution: After breading, let the chicken rest on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. This allows the breading to set and adhere.

Plain Yogurt + Water

This substitute for buttermilk is especially good for marinades (like in a buttermilk brine for fried chicken), but it works well for baking too. Whisk a bit of milk or water into plain unsweetened yogurt until you get a buttermilk-like consistency.

Visual Cues: Look for any unusual color changes or mold on the chicken. Fresh marinated chicken should retain its natural color, slightly altered by the ingredients of the marinade, such as soy sauce or lemon juice. Any grayish hue, green spots, or visible mold indicates that the chicken has gone bad.

Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, salt, pepper, and cayenne in a bowl. Pour buttermilk marinade into a resealable plastic bag. Add chicken pieces, coat with marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.

Is it better to brine chicken or soak in buttermilk? ›

However, Melvin does not completely discount the saltwater brine, “You can absolutely do both. Buttermilk is a classic Southern style… but it's all about preference.” Melvin likes to soak the chicken overnight in buttermilk, but says that if you are short on time, 2 hours minimum will yield similar results.

Fry chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°–325°, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breasts.

You should always start with a layer of flour. This helps absorb moisture on the surface of the chicken, which would keep the breading from sticking and make a mess in the hot oil. The flour also gives the egg something to cling to—otherwise it would slide right off the chicken.

All-purpose flour gives the buttermilk and seasonings something to stick to, while ensuring a wonderfully crispy crust. This crispy fried chicken recipe calls for paprika (which helps with browning), salt, and pepper. You can add more spices and seasonings to taste.

Vegetable oil, you've probably guessed, is a high heat oil, with a smoke point between 400° and 450°. In many recipes, from fried chicken to doughnuts, you'll aim to deep-fry in oil that's about 350°, which means that vegetable oil is not likely to get anywhere near smoking. Two words: fried chicken.

The buttermilk bath can introduce excess moisture in pursuit of tenderized and flavorful meat. So if you want the breading to stay on -- or if you're looking to save some money (after all, water is cheaper than buttermilk) or accommodate a lactose-intolerant palate -- you can say goodbye to buttermilk.

But taking the extra time to soak your meat in buttermilk and let the flour set will ensure that your breading is fully adhered for the perfect breaded pork chops or breaded chicken. This creates a final result that is crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and altogether irresistible.

While buttermilk is great for baking, it also does amazing things for meat. Its high acidity level helps tenderize everything from roast chicken to braised pork. We also won't fry our chicken without a buttermilk brine—it keeps the bird moist and juicy underneath that crunchy, crackly crust.

You can also marinate overnight! However, try not to marinate longer than 24 hours if you can help it. After TOO long, the acid in this buttermilk chicken marinade will start to “cook” the chicken (like how lime juice “cooks” the shrimp in shrimp ceviche), and the chicken will be a little tough once you grill it.