Classic Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

Crispy, crunchy buttermilk fried chicken is unbelievably simple, and fried chicken is often over-engineered. Recipe developer Leah Maroney has all the tips and tricks you need to make the perfect crackling crust without any of the fuss. "It's really a simple process," says Maroney. "First, you marinate the chicken in buttermilk and then dip it in seasoned self-rising flour. Then, it's all about how you fry. I love using an electric skillet because you can control the temperature." You'll also need a meat thermometer for measuring both the oil and the internal temperature of the chicken. It's important to keep a steady temperature for the frying oil so the chicken crisps properly without burning.

Serve the chicken with all your favorite Southern sides, such as macaroni and cheese, potato salad, or coleslaw. The chicken is best served on the day of preparation for the ultimate crispiness, but we won't judge you if you eat it right out of the refrigerator later.

Perfect buttermilk fried chicken starts with buttermilk, of course! Pick up fresh buttermilk or use one of the substitutes that we list below. Seasoned salt and black pepper are added to the buttermilk for a simple and super-flavorful marinade. The acid in the buttermilk helps tenderize the chicken and infuse it with flavor. We like to use a whole chicken for this recipe. The chicken is typically wrapped well and stays extremely fresh. Breaking down a chicken is a skill, but it's pretty simple to execute. You can also just use whatever chicken pieces you prefer, whether that be white meat or dark meat pieces. You can choose to use boneless pieces, as well. The chicken is coated in seasoned self-rising flour. The self-rising flour makes adds an amazing, tender crunch to the chicken, so we don't recommend substituting it with regular flour.

Whisk together the buttermilk with 1 tablespoon ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon seasoned salt.

Add the chicken to the seasoned buttermilk and completely coat the chicken.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 12 hours.

Whisk together the self-rising flour with the remaining 1 tablespoon ground black pepper and 1 tablespoon seasoned salt.

Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet until it reaches approximately 325 F.

Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk one at a time and coat them in the flour mixture, pressing the flour onto the skin of the chicken.

Add the chicken to the hot oil in one even layer and fry for 5 minutes.

Cover the skillet with a lid and continue frying for 10 minutes, maintaining a temperature of about 325 F.

Turn the chicken and continue frying until the internal temperature reaches 165 F, about 15 more minutes. The breasts will take longer than the remaining pieces, so make sure to check each piece.

Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on a paper towel–lined plate.

Allow to cool slightly, and then serve.

Buttermilk can sometimes be hard to find and can be difficult to keep on hand. However, there are a few different ways that you can substitute other ingredients for buttermilk. You can add ¼ cup of pickle juice to 1 ½ cups of whole milk. This adds a lot of great flavor and the acid from the pickle juice mimics the acidity of classic buttermilk. If you don't have pickle juice, you can also substitute in white vinegar or any other vinegar you might have on hand. Avoid low-fat milk, which won't provide the same texture as regular buttermilk. You can also make your own buttermilk by beating heavy cream until it separates forms homemade butter and buttermilk. 

If you don't have self-rising flour, you can easily throw together your own with just a few simple ingredients. Combine 2 cups of flour with 1 tablespoon of baking powder, and you've got self-rising flour! Just make sure to whisk them together well. 

Believe it or not, the best way to store fried chicken is in a brown paper bag. This keeps the chicken from getting soggy because the paper bag absorbs moisture instead of trapping it. This is a great way to store the chicken if you're taking it to a party or to the beach. However, you can't store the chicken in the brown paper bag long term. You can put it in the refrigerator in the brown paper bag and it will keep for up to 2 days. You can also store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The best way to reheat the chicken is in an air fryer. Set it at 425 F and air fry for 15 minutes. This will re-crisp the chicken almost back to its original glory. Bone-in fried chicken doesn't freeze well, so avoid freezing.