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I would suggest you try this Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken, dunked in buttermilk to produce the best and juiciest soft bites every time.
Fried chicken
Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep-fried, pressure-fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior of the chicken while retaining juices in the meat.
What does buttermilk do for fried chicken?
What does marinating chicken in buttermilk do? Because of its slight acidity, buttermilk has the ability to tenderize the chicken, without it becoming tough and chewy. Using buttermilk also helps the chicken go nice and flaky when you dredge it through the dry mix.
Best chicken to use for deep frying?
If you opt not to use a whole chicken, just use a variety of different cuts i.e half thigh half drumstick. Just make sure you use bone-in skin-on chicken. This will result in the crispiest/juiciest fried chicken. Read more here

Crispy Buttermilk Fried Chicken
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Additional Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Everyday Cooking
Description
Buttermilk fried chicken that’s crispy and tender and will hit that sweet spot.
Ingredients
- 1–2 cups Buttermilk (enough to submerge the chicken in)
- 1–2 cup Flour
- 2 Tablespoons Garlic Powder
- 1 Tablespoon Paprika
- 2 Teaspoons Dried Mixed Herbs
- 2 Teaspoons Onion Powder
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and pat dry.
- Place chicken in a Ziplock bag and pour over enough buttermilk to cover the pieces.
- Refrigerate for about an hour.
- Season flour with the spices.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk then toss in spiced flour.
- Fry in deep oil until fully cooked and golden.
- Drain and set aside.
- Serve with your choice of sides and enjoy!!
Equipment
Ziploc Gallon Food Storage Freezer Bags
Buy Now →Hamilton Beach Deep Fryer with 2 Frying Baskets
Buy Now →Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Rochelle from The Recipe Hunter: Tried and Tested Recipes from Home Chefs and SA Tasty Recipes -Saffas Daily Recipes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 302
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 313
- Fat: 2
- Saturated Fat: 1
- Unsaturated Fat: 1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 59
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 12
- Cholesterol: 5
Keywords: Buttermilk Fried Chicken
How long can you soak the chicken in buttermilk?
You’ll want to soak the chicken in buttermilk for a minimum of 8 hours, but you can soak the chicken for up to 24 hours. Be sure the chicken is in a glass large bowl, rather than a plastic bag, and is covered. Then allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator.
According to USDA, it is safe to marinate chicken in buttermilk for up to 48 hours. Anything longer than that may be risky. Do not reuse buttermilk marinade as it may contain dangerous bacteria.

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This looks like a great recipe to try. My son just requested me to make fried chicken tenders soon. So, this may be something I try to make, but using our air fryers.
Dear Crystal. I have a feeling this will be outstanding and the air fryer will be a good fit here as well. Please let us know how you adapted and it turned out in the air fryer. Enjoy it, and thanks for popping in.
Wow! As a HUGE fan of fried chicken, can hardly wait to try this out!
Hi Alice, thanks for popping in and I truly hope you have a go at this and let us know what you think of it and how it turned out for you. Enjoy