Crispy Fried Chicken
This Crispy Fried Chicken might just be the best fried chicken you've ever had. Crispy and perfectly golden brown on the outside, but tender, juicy, and flavorful on the inside - you'll never order out again. This recipe is super easy and beyond tasty!
Servings: 6
Calories: 877kcal
Ingredients
- 3 pounds chicken bone-in, with skin, drumsticks, thighs or wings (about 12 drumsticks)
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon pepper or to taste
Dredging Mixture
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl. Add the chicken pieces. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
- Heat the oil: When ready to cook, pour the vegetable oil in a skillet until it is about 3/4 inch deep. Heat to 350 degrees.
- Prepare the dredge: Prepare the flour mixture by combining the flour, cornstarch, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, paprika in a large bowl or shallow dish. Mix it thoroughly.
- Dredge the chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk mixture. Shake it gently to remove any excess. Place it in the breading mix and coat thoroughly. Tap off the excess.
- Fry the chicken: Place the breaded chicken into the 350 degree oil. Fry only 3 or 4 pieces at a time, do not over crowd. The chicken will reduce the temperature of the oil so keep it as close to 350 degrees as possible. Fry for about 7 minutes, flip, then fry for 3-5 minutes on the other side until the chicken is fully cooked. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
- Rest the chicken: Transfer the chicken to a plate lined with paper towel and let the pieces rest for 10 minutes. Serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Fried chicken will last 3-4 days in the fridge or 4 months in the freezer stored in an airtight container. After reheating, the chicken will not be quite as crisp as it was fresh. Follow these steps to get it as crispy as possible:
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. For refrigerated chicken, allow the pieces to sit at room temp for 30 minutes. For frozen chicken, allow the pieces to thaw in the fridge overnight, then let them sit at room temp for 30 minutes.
- Place the chicken on a foil-lined baking sheet, then loosely cover the pieces with another piece of foil. Bake for 20 minutes. If you want it a bit crispier, remove the top piece of foil and bake for 5 additional minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 2drumsticks | Calories: 877kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 50g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 179mg | Sodium: 1937mg | Potassium: 648mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1165IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 4mg