This Southern favorite has always been a staple in American cooking, but today it is widely available around the world. In recent years, there’s been an explosion of creative takes on this dish that are worth exploring for your next meal.
Southern buttermilk fried chicken is a dish that is very popular in the southern United States. There are many variations of this recipe, and it can also be made with different types of meat.
First and foremost, three savory meals in a row?! Clearly, I’m on a savory kick right now, and I’m loving it. Now for the meat of the article…
In my life, I’ve only prepared buttermilk fried chicken twice. The first time was when Alex and I were living on the third floor of our Ann Arbor apartment. I couldn’t tell you what I was doing because I didn’t know what I was doing. For example, I had no idea that frying required your oil to be at a certain temperature.
So there I am, at least 30 minutes later, standing over the stove, watching this chicken barely brown.
I managed to get that sad little mess out of the frying pan eventually. The chicken was cooked through, however it was dripping with oil owing to the extended cook time. Alex and his buddies did their hardest to eat everything, but the plates were still full with barely finished fried chicken drummies at the end of the night.
I can’t say I blame them. They were excellent sports throughout the whole.
So, fast forward to today, when I at least have a rudimentary idea of what to do in the kitchen. I conducted a lot of study and came up with the crispiest, crunchiest, and most delicious buttermilk fried chicken I’ve ever tasted. Apart from KFC, of course, since those people are geniuses (judge me. do it.).
Cooking instructions for fried chicken
Check the temperature of your oil—Ensure that your oil is at the proper temperature. It’s optimal if the temperature is between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. With an electric stove, this meant keeping items on a medium-low heat setting.
Make a 24-hour brine using full-fat buttermilk and marinate the chicken for a long period. Buttermilk is essential for a delicate, soft chicken. The acidity of the buttermilk aids in the breakdown of protein structures in the chicken, resulting in a meat that is less chewy and maintains more moisture after 24 hours.
Allow the flour-dredged chicken to air out for at least 10 minutes before serving. This makes the exterior of the chicken very crispy, which is just how I prefer it.
What is the best way to reheat fried chicken?
Although this buttermilk fried chicken is best eaten straight away, if you have any leftovers, they can be reheated without turning the chicken into a tough, rubbery mess. To begin with, DO NOT MICROWAVE THE CHICKEN. Guys, microwaved chicken is disgusting.
Place fried chicken on a foil-lined baking pan and reheat in the oven at 400°F for approximately 20 minutes. To be safe, cover the chicken with foil and gently fold it over to prevent it from drying out too much. Although the chicken skin may not crisp up as neatly as it did when it was originally fried, this is by far the greatest way for reheating fried chicken that I’ve discovered!
I wish you everyone a fantastic Super Bowl weekend. If I weren’t halfway across the globe in Israel, I’d make this buttermilk fried chicken again in a heartbeat. You should do the same.
Ingredients
to make the chicken
- 1 chicken, sliced into eighths
- 3 cups buttermilk (whole fat)
- salt (two tablespoons)
- cayenne pepper (1/2 teaspoon)
- paprika, 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
- a quarter teaspoon of black pepper
for the remainder
- flour (two cups)
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- paprika, 5 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon powdered garlic
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp oregano (oregano)
- a half teaspoon of sugar
- a quarter teaspoon of cayenne
- a quarter teaspoon of chili powder
- 2 room temperature eggs
- a couple of teaspoons of water
- 2 quarts of frying oil
Instructions
That fowl should be marinated.
- Place the chicken pieces into a large ziplock bag with care (freezer-safe works best). If your chicken is very huge, consider halving the bigger portions (I cut the breasts in half). Remove from the equation.
- Whisk buttermilk, salt, and spices together in a large mixing basin. Pour the liquid into a zipper bag, seal it tightly, and shake it around to coat the chicken pieces with buttermilk.
- Place the bag in the fridge for at least 12 hours, but ideally 24 hours, to marinate (and up to 48).
When you’re ready to fry, preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Preheat the oil in a big dutch oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Whether you don’t have a thermometer, you may use this method to determine if the oil is ready: In the oil, place a wooden spoon. The oil is ready when little bubbles develop around the spoon within seconds of submerging it. It’s too hot if the bubbles are forceful. Reduce the heat to low and try again after 5-10 minutes.
- In a small basin, mix together the flour, salt, and spices while the oil is cooking. Whisk the eggs and water together in a separate dish until scrambled.
- Take the chicken out of the buttermilk brine and set it aside. Dip each piece into the egg mixture first, then into the flour mixture. Place each piece of chicken on a cooling rack and let aside for at least 10 minutes to air out. If your chicken seems moist after 10 minutes, re-dredge it in flour.
- When the oil is hot, gently lay 3-4 pieces in it and fry for 12 minutes, turning halfway through. Repeat with the remaining pieces until all of them are golden brown. Serve right away.
More simple chicken dishes may be found at:
Creamy Chicken Corn Chowder with a Twist
Asian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches in the Slow Cooker
Chicken Tenders with a Wasabi-Almond Crusted Crunch
Green Chicken Salad with Creamy Avocado Dressing (Watercress, Apple, and Farro)
Watch This Video-
The “buttermilk fried chicken tenders” is a dish that has been made for decades. The recipe is simple and easy to make. It’s also delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does buttermilk do for fried chicken?
A: Buttermilk is a dairy product that contributes to the fluffiness and tenderness of fried chicken. It also helps bind flavors together, making for a less greasy fry
How long can you leave chicken in buttermilk?
A: I am a question answering bot. The answer to this is that it can be left in for up to 24 hours.
Is buttermilk necessary for fried chicken?
A: Buttermilk is a liquid that contains naturally occurring fatty acids and proteins from the bacteria lactobacillus. It was historically used to give traditional fried chicken its distinctive flavor and moistness, but these days its not necessary for great fried chicken because you can make your own at home with lemon juice or vinegar, water, salt, pepper, garlic cloves (or chopped fresh garlic), thyme sprigs (or other dried herbs)
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