Best Carolina Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipes

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients for the buttermilk mixture in a bowl.
• Add the chicken pieces to the buttermilk mixture and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 4 to 6 hours.
• When ready to cook, place all the Flour Mixture ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
• Remove one piece of chicken at a time from the buttermilk mixture, and dredge in the flour mixture. Repeat the process until all chicken pieces are coated.
• Pour the vegetable oil in a deep skillet, large pot, or Dutch oven. The oil should be about 1.5 to 2 inches deep in the skillet.Set the skillet over medium-high heat and heat the oil to 350°F. If possible, use an instant read thermometer to check the temperature.
• Add the chicken to the hot oil in batches, and cook until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165°F, about 15 minutes. Flip the chicken halfway through cooking time.
• Once chicken is cooked through and golden brown, remove from the oil and place on paper towels to drain.
• Serve immediately, or keep warm in an oven until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh chopped herbs.
• Notes: For best crunchy results, repeat the coating process for each piece twice to ensure the chicken pieces are properly coated.

CRISPIEST BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix cold water and kosher salt together in a large bowl until salt dissolves. Add chicken legs. Cover entire bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Remove bowl from the refrigerator; drain and pat chicken dry with paper towels.
• Place chicken legs in a plastic bag with 1 cup all-purpose flour and shake to coat.
• Pour buttermilk into a bowl. Mix remaining flour, baking powder, salt, and cayenne in another bowl. Dip each chicken leg in buttermilk; move to flour mixture and coat well.
• Heat canola oil in a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Fry chicken legs in hot oil in batches until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CHEF JOHN'S BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toss together chicken pieces, black pepper, salt, paprika, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, white pepper, and cayenne in a large bowl to coat.
• Stir in buttermilk until chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 6 hours.
• Combine flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, white pepper, and onion powder in a large shallow dish.
• Remove chicken from the buttermilk and dredge each piece in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess and transfer to a plate.
• Heat peanut oil in a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Add all the chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
• Turn chicken pieces and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
• Remove chicken from the oil and transfer to a cooling rack set over a paper towel lined baking sheet. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken pieces in a bowl and toss them with buttermilk, 2 tablespoons salt and a healthy grind of black pepper. Cover and marinate for at least an hour and up to a day.
• Combine flour, 1 tablespoon salt and 2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl or, ideally, a paper bag large enough to accommodate the flour and the pieces of chicken.
• Pour oil into a large, heavy-bottomed cast-iron skillet with high sides and a lid, to a depth of a few inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
• Set a rack on a baking sheet or tray. Place the chicken pieces in the paper bag filled with the flour mixture and shake well to coat, or toss them in the bowl with the flour mixture to achieve a similar result.
• Shake off excess flour and fry the pieces of chicken skin-side down, in batches so as not to crowd the pan, for about 5 to 15 minutes, covered by the lid. Remove the lid, turn over the chicken pieces, and cook for about 5 to 15 minutes more, uncovered, until they are cooked through and a deep golden brown. Color is as or more important than time: Watch your chicken and get it out when it's golden brown.
• Remove chicken to the rack to drain and rest, sprinkle with salt and serve warm or at room temperature.

PERFECT CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken drumsticks and thighs in a bowl and pour enough buttermilk over chicken to cover. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
• Combine flour, cornmeal, granulated onion, granulated garlic, thyme, salt, paprika, monosodium glutamate, baking powder, and cayenne pepper in a large, wide bowl.
• Remove chicken from buttermilk and shake off excess. Discard buttermilk. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
• Dip chicken into egg whites and press into flour mixture. Allow coated chicken to rest on a wire rack for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Fill a cast-iron skillet or deep fryer with vegetable oil about 1/3 full. Heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Fry chicken in hot oil in batches until golden brown and no longer pink in the center, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Thighs may take longer to fry than drumsticks. Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack or a paper towel-lined tray to drain. Keep chicken warm in preheated oven while frying remaining pieces.