Best Chef Johns Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipes

SOUTHERN-STYLE BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, salt and pepper, and cayenne in a bowl, and pour into a resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces, coat with the marinade, squeeze out excess air, and seal the bag. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 8 hours.
• When you are ready to cook the chicken, combine the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, and onion powder in the other plastic bag. Shake to mix thoroughly. Transfer one marinated chicken piece at a time into the dry ingredient bag, and shake well to ensure complete coverage. After all chicken pieces are coated, repeat the process by dipping them in the buttermilk marinade and shaking in the dry coating again.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, making sure not to burn the oil. When oil is hot, fry chicken in batches until golden brown and juices run clear, turning chicken to brown evenly.

COPYCAT FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Whisk buttermilk, salt, hot sauce, and ranch dressing mix together in a large bowl. Cut diagonal slits into the thick ends of chicken breasts and toss into marinade until well coated. Transfer to the refrigerator to marinate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the breading: Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, cayenne, and ranch dressing mix together in a shallow dish.
• Make the wash: Whisk egg, buttermilk, and milk together in another bowl until combined.
• Use a fork to pull chicken from marinade, letting any excess drip off. Dip into the breading to coat both sides; shake off any excess. Dip into egg wash mixture to saturate surface; return to breading to coat, shake off excess, and repeat once more. Let sit on a wire rack to dry, at least 15 minutes.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer to between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Fry chicken breasts in the hot oil until golden, crispy, and no longer pink in the centers, 4 to 5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Transfer to a plate topped with crinkled up aluminum foil to prevent bottoms from getting soggy.
• Spread mayonnaise over hamburger bun halves. Stuff with pickles and chicken.

HONEY-BRINED FRIED CHICKEN BREASTS

Steps:

• Mix cold water, kosher salt, and honey in a large bowl; stir until salt dissolves. Add chicken breasts, and weigh them down with a plate to keep them completely submerged. Cover entire bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Remove bowl from refrigerator; drain and dry chicken. Pour buttermilk over chicken in a large bowl. Set aside at room temperature for 15 minutes.
• Combine flour, black pepper, garlic salt, onion salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
• Coat each chicken breast in flour mixture until well covered on all sides; place flour-coated chicken breasts on a cooling rack to dry for 15 minutes.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Cook chicken breasts until browned and no longer pink in the center, about 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Transfer chicken to a cooling rack; allow to cool for 5 minutes.

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.

AIR FRYER BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl or resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken and thyme sprigs and let marinate 8 hours or overnight.
• Stir together the chopped thyme, flour, paprika, oregano, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne and 1 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder in a large baking dish; season generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of the buttermilk marinade over the flour mixture, mixing with a fork until craggy in texture.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dip in the flour mixture to coat well, then transfer to a plate.
• Preheat a 6-quart air fryer to 375˚ F. Coat half of the chicken with cooking spray; arrange in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook until crispy, 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cook the remaining chicken. Serve with potato salad and cornbread.

CHEF JOHN'S NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toss chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Transfer chicken to a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Whisk buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg together in a mixing bowl. Pour marinade over chicken and stir to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and let chicken marinate in refrigerator 2 to 4 hours.
• Mix flour and salt together in a shallow flat dish. Remove chicken from marinade and blot with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Return chicken to marinade, coating all sides; remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Coat the chicken once again in flour mixture. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Allow to sit out about 15 minutes to allow coating to dry out a bit.
• Place butter and lard in a large pot. Add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until fats melt. Remove from heat; keep sauce warm.
• Fill cast iron skillet about 1/3 of the way with vegetable oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees F, adjusting heat as need. Fry until instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to a rack to drain. Brush with the sauce on both sides.