If you can’t get to a KFC drive-through or just love getting your fried chicken fix, then this irresistible buttermilk batter fried chicken is for you! Soaked in a buttermilk brine and infused with a delicious blend of herbs and spices, this chicken is crunchy on the outside and juicy and flavourful on this inside. Perfect for the whole family!
This fried chicken recipe with buttermilk batter is much cheaper (and tastier!) than buying a bucket of chicken from your favourite takeaway. The versatile coating mix can be used on large chicken pieces and served with your favourite sides for fried chicken, or used to coat smaller breast fillets or chicken tenders used in dishes like these crispy chicken tacos, or crispy fried chicken burgers.
No matter how you serve it, this chicken is worth trying at home. It is surprisingly easy to make and will have you going back again and again!
How to make buttermilk batter fried chicken
This recipe for fried chicken with buttermilk is a KFC copycat. The batter is loaded with an incredible blend of herbs and spices, and every bit of this fried chicken batter is perfectly crunchy and seasoned to perfection. Underneath, the buttermilk marinated chicken is unbelievably juicy and fall-apart tender.
This recipe uses;
- Seasoning. A mix herbs and spices to rival your favourite takeaway chicken!
- Buttermilk to soak the chicken before coating. The buttermilk is infused with salt and spices to help to tenderise and flavour the chicken pieces all the way through, resulting in the juiciest, most tender fried chicken you can get!
- Egg whites. Using egg whites in the buttermilk helps the crispy coating to cling to the chicken pieces. Egg yolks can soften the coating due to their fat content, so they are left out for a crispier coating.
- Flour and cornflour (cornstarch). A mix of both plain flour and cornstarch for the crispiest, crunchiest chicken coating you’ll try.
- Oil. For deep frying the chicken. This recipe starts off by frying the chicken, which can then be transferred to the oven to finish cooking through (for larger pieces). Canola or vegetable oils are recommended (see notes below).
To make the fried chicken, simply;
- Marinate the chicken overnight (or for at least 2-3 hours if possible) in the buttermilk, spice and egg white mixture. This mixture flavours and tenderises the chicken and makes it incredibly juicy.
- Shake off the excess buttermilk and coat the individual chicken pieces in the flour and spice mix. The buttermilk will make extra knobbly bits that become extra crunchy when fried!
- Fry the chicken until golden and cooked through, or fry and;
- Bake. This step is optional, for larger pieces. Smaller chicken pieces will finish cooking in the oil. For any larger pieces like drumsticks, add the chicken to a lined oven tray and bake at 180C, until cooked through.
How to keep the coating on fried chicken
One of the challenges that is faced by making homemade fried chicken is that the crunchy coating can slide off the chicken before it is ready. There are a few things that you can do to ensure that this doesn’t happen;
Dry the chicken first;
Pat down chicken with a paper towel to “dry” before adding to the buttermilk and egg white mixture.
Use egg whites;
Egg helps the coating adhere to the chicken. Tap off any excess buttermilk and egg white mixture before coating in the flour and spice mix.
Rest the chicken;
After coating the cold chicken, lay it on a plate or tray lined with baking paper and let it sit, uncovered, at room temperature for around 30 minutes to help dry the egg before cooking.
Don’t crowd!
Don’t overcrowd the pan. After the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated in the flour, place them into the hot oil with lots of space between each piece. You may need to cook in batches to achieve this. If the pieces are touching and bumping into each other, the coating is more likely to fall off.
Use hot oil;
Starting in hot oil (and finishing in the oven for larger pieces) means evenly cooked meat and a crust that doesn’t burn or fall off.
Hands off!
Don’t handle too much. The more you move the chicken pieces with tongs, the more likely the coating will fall apart. When frying and then oven baking, give the chicken pieces space and then flip once only.
You can oven bake your chicken to reduce the fat content.
Simply coat the chicken by following the recipe below and then place it on a tray lined with baking paper. Spray lightly with oil and bake at 220 C for 20-25 minutes before turning and baking for another 20-25 minutes for larger chicken pieces (baking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken used- turn after 10 minutes for smaller pieces). It won’t be as crispy, but it is a healthier option.
The best fried chicken oil
There are so many choices when it comes to oil used for deep frying. Vegetable or canola is the oil that I recommend for this recipe, for their neutral flavour and high smoke point. And after frying, these oils can both be re-used. Once you’ve finished frying, simply allow the oil to cool completely, strain it and store it in a container in your pantry.
When cooking, allow the oil to become very hot before adding your chicken. You can test it by adding a small piece of the chicken coating. If it immediately starts to sizzle rapidly, the oil is ready.
How long to cook buttermilk batter fried chicken
All types of chicken can be used in this recipe, and cooking time will vary depending on the types that you choose. Drumsticks should be fried for 6-8 minutes and then transferred to an oven at 180 C for around ten minutes to finish cooking through without burning the coating. Thigh and breast fillets should take around 7-8 minutes to cook all the way through in the oil. Smaller wings will take around 5 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a wire rack or paper towel to rest for a few minutes before eating.
Tips
Follow these tips to have the best buttermilk batter fried chicken at home, whenever you like!
- Make a double (or triple!) batch of the chicken coating and store the extra in an airtight container in your pantry for quick fried chicken whenever you like!
- Marinate the chicken overnight, if possible. The buttermilk works to tenderise the chicken, so the longer, the better!
- After cooking, allow the chicken to rest on a wire rack to drain the excess oil.
- This crispy fried chicken tastes best when it has just been cooked and the coating is still crispy. However, leftover cold chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To heat, bake the cold chicken at 200 C for around 15-20 minutes.
- To cook the pieces evenly, add the larger pieces (like drumsticks) to the hot oil first. These pieces will take the longest to cook. Cook for a few minutes before adding the smaller pieces, or cook in batches. Small pieces of chicken are best, because they will cook evenly in the oil and you don’t have to worry about finishing them off in the oven. Larger pieces can be finished in the oven.
- No buttermilk? No worries! You can have buttermilk at home anytime by adding one teaspoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk. Stir it and let it rest for 10 minutes. Instant buttermilk!
- Cooking time will vary depending on the type and size of chicken that you choose, as well as individual stove tops and type of pan you use. The chicken should be white all the way through and fall easily from the bone. Use a meat thermometer if you are not sure. Thighs and drumsticks should be 75 C in the centre, breast and smaller pieces, 65 C in the centre.
Sides for crispy chicken
Serve with your favourite sides; mashed potato and gravy, corn, coleslaw, seasoned chips, sweet potato fries, or fresh rolls. Or add it to these amazing crispy chicken burgers.
If you try this buttermilk batter fried chicken, I’d love to hear about it! Feel free to leave a comment or review below, or send me a message. For more food inspiration, tips and to share your own recipes and creations, head over to my Facebook Recipe Group.
The Ultimate Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 800 grams chicken pieces drumsticks, wings, thigh or breast fillets or chicken tender strips.
For the buttermilk brine
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1-2 tsp sriracha chilli sauce optional
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 egg whites lightly beaten
For the chicken coating
- 1 ¾ cup plain flour
- ¼ cup cornflour cornstarch
- 1-2 tbs salt
- ½ tbs dried thyme
- ½ tbs dried basil
- ⅓ tbs dried oregano
- 1 tbs celery salt
- 1 tbs ground black pepper
- 1 tbs mustard powder
- 4 tbs paprika
- 2 tbs garlic powder
- 1 tbs ground ginger
- 3 tbs ground white pepper
- ½ tsp ground sage
- 1 tsp chilli powder optional
- 2 tbs onion powder
To cook
- canola oil or vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk the buttermilk and egg whites together. Place the chicken in a large bowl and add the paprika, salt and pepper. Cover with the buttermilk mix, cover and allow to soak in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 3-4 hours.
- To make the chicken coating, add the ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine.
- Once the chicken has soaked, remove each individual piece from the buttermilk and tap off any excess buttermilk. Roll each piece through the chicken coating until thickly coated. Place onto a tray or plate.
- Heat the oil in a large, sturdy frying pan (or use a deep fryer if you have one). You can test the oil temperature by carefully dropping a small piece of chicken coating into the pan. If it sizzles and bubbles around the coating, the oil is ready.
- Carefully add the chicken pieces and cook in batches (the cooking time will vary depending on the size of the chicken), turning halfway until the chicken is golden, crispy and cooked through. If you have chosen drumsticks or large pieces of chicken, you can cook the chicken on all sides and then finish off in the oven at 180 °C for ten minutes or until cooked through.
- Remove from the heat and place on a plate with baking paper or a wire rack to rest for five minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make a double (or triple!) batch of the flour and spice coating. As a bonus, the spice mixture can be made ahead in bulk and stored in your pantry for quick fried chicken whenever you like!
- Marinate the chicken overnight, if possible. The buttermilk works to tenderise the chicken, so the longer, the better!
- After cooking, allow the chicken to rest on a wire rack to drain the excess oil.
- This crispy fried chicken tastes best when it has just been cooked and the coating is still crispy. However, leftover cold chicken can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. To heat, bake the cold chicken at 200 C for around 15-20 minutes.
- To cook the pieces evenly, add the larger pieces (like drumsticks) to the hot oil first. These pieces will take the longest to cook. Cook for a few minutes before adding the smaller pieces, or cook in batches. You can also add any larger pieces to the oven to finish cooking through, which will help keep the coating from burning. Small pieces of chicken are best, because they will cook evenly in the oil and you don’t have to worry about finishing them off in the oven.
- No buttermilk? No worries! You can have buttermilk at home anytime by adding one teaspoon of white vinegar to a cup of milk. Stir it and let it rest for 10 minutes. Instant buttermilk!
- Cooking time will vary depending on the type and size of chicken that you choose, as well as individual stove tops and type of pan you use. The chicken should be white all the way through and fall easily from the bone. Use a meat thermometer if you are not sure. Thighs and drumsticks should be 75 C in the centre, breast and smaller pieces, 65 C in the centre.
Nutrition
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