Crispy Fried Chicken Recipe
This is the recipe for crispy fried chicken everyone dreams of. A crispy and crunchy coating, and juicy and tender chicken flesh. If you love to eat Southern fried chicken, you must try this recipe.
I love crispy fried chicken, and I absolutely adore Southern fried chicken with spicy tartar sauce. And while I often make oven-fried chicken, we do indulge in deep-fried chicken once in a while. I use flour for the coating and deep-fry it in oil until it reaches a deep golden color.
Why make this recipe
- Deep-frying the chicken seals in the moisture, creating a crispy, golden-brown exterior. But the interior is still juicy and flavorful because of the buttermilk marinade.
- And most of the ingredients are simple and easy to find, or pantry staples.
- Also, deep frying is a quick and easy way to cook for a large group.
Ingredients & substitutes
- Buttermilk – This is a good meat tenderizer that keeps the chicken moist and soft inside. You can also make homemade buttermilk in 5 minutes. Yes, five minutes!! So, there should be no reason to skip that ingredient.
- Coating – I love to coat the chicken with a flour mixture with spices and herbs.
- Oil – Use an oil with a high smoke point, as we do need to cook this chicken on high heat. Try cooking oils like canola oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, or corn oil.
- Flavor – I’m using paprika, but you can also use cayenne pepper. Also, I use onion flakes, but you can also use onion powder.
Step-by-step: Crispy fried chicken
- Marinade – Add all the marinade ingredients to a large mixing bowl and combine well.
- Marinate – Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add them to the marinade. Then, cover and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes, if possible, longer.
Pro tip – You can marinate this chicken on the counter or overnight in the fridge for an hour.
- Coating mixture – In a large bowl, combine all the flour-coating ingredients well.
Pro tip – You can double the spices (or use spicy paprika) if you like it spicy or more flavorful. - Coat chicken – Using a fork, pick the chicken out of the marinade and drop it into the flour-coating mixture. Then, press the flour mixture onto the chicken so it coats the chicken generously.
Pro tip – Make sure the chicken is thickly coated and dust off excess; otherwise, the excess can cloud the oil.
- Oil – In a large pot, heat the cooking oil to about 350°F-375°F before adding the chicken.
Pro tip – I like to use my cast-iron pot as it distributes heat evenly. - Deep-fry – Once hot, deep fry the chicken pieces in batches of 3 or 4 at a time. Stir occasionally and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of about 165°F.
Pro tip – Frying too many at a time will lower the oil’s temperature, causing the chicken to absorb the oil and become greasy.
Frequently asked questions
How long will this crispy chicken keep?
This chicken is best made fresh when the crust is nice and crispy. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. You can also freeze it for a month. Then, thaw in the fridge and warm in the microwave.
Deep-fried chicken versus baked oven-crispy chicken?
Both deep-fried and oven-crisped chicken have their own unique taste and texture.
Deep-fried food is more flavorful and crispy on the outside, while tender and flavorful on the inside. However, deep-frying is also considered unhealthy and loaded with calories and saturated fat.
On the other hand, oven-baked crispy chicken is a healthier alternative. It is still delicious, crispy, and not greasy. You can see that the top chicken in this picture is deep-fried, and the bottom is oven-baked. 
Can I make this chicken in the air fryer?
Yes!! It’s a healthier version of crispy chicken. Once you’ve coated the chicken with flour, give it a generous spray with cooking oil. Next, preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F, then place the chicken inside and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, turning it once in between.
Buttermilk Crispy Fried Chicken
This is the recipe for crispy fried chicken everyone dreams of. A crispy and crunchy coating, and juicy and tender chicken flesh. If you love to eat Southern fried chicken, you must try this recipe.
Video
Ingredients
- 8 pieces (1 kg) Chicken drumsticks or thighs
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper powder
Marinade
- 1 cup (240 ml) Buttermilk
- ½ tsp Sweet paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 tbsp Onion flakes
- 1 tbsp Mustard paste
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
Coating
- 3 cups (375 g) Flour all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (64 g) Cornstarch or rice flour
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp (25 g) Paprika
- 2 tbsp Parsley finely chopped (optional)
For deep frying
- 4 cups (1 l) Cooking oil
Method
- Marinade – Add all the marinade ingredients to a large mixing bowl and combine well.1 cup Buttermilk, ½ tsp Sweet paprika, 1 tsp Garlic powder, 2 tbsp Onion flakes , 1 tbsp Mustard paste, ½ tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp Black pepper
- Marinate – Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and add them to the marinade. Cover and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes, if possible longer.8 pieces Chicken, ½ tsp Kosher salt, ½ tsp Black pepper powder
- Coating mixture – In a large bowl, combine all the flour-coating ingredients and mix well.3 cups Flour , 1 tsp Kosher salt, 1 tsp Pepper, 1 tsp Garlic powder, 1 tsp Paprika , 2 tbsp Parsley, ½ cup Cornstarch
- Coat chicken – Pick the chicken out of the marinade and drop it into the flour-coating mixture using a fork. Press the flour onto the chicken so it coats the chicken generously.
- Oil – In a large pot, heat the cooking oil to about 350℉-375℉ before adding the chicken.4 cups Cooking oil
- Deep fry – Once hot, deep-fry the chicken pieces in batches of 3 or 4 at a time. Stir occasionally and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches about 165°F.
Notes
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- Marinade – soak the chicken in buttermilk for a few hours, if possible, to tenderize the chicken.
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- Use a combination of flour and cornstarch for a nice, crispy crust. Also, season and spice the chicken generously for flavor.
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- If you want, coat the chicken with the flour mixture, place them on a baking sheet, and leave it in the fridge until they are ready to be deep-fried.
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- Use a cast iron pot to deep-fry the chicken, as it maintains heat evenly.
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- Heat the oil to about 350 to 375°F before adding the chicken. And don’t overcrowd the pan; otherwise, it will lower the temperature of the oil.
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- If the chicken cooks at a lower temperature, it will soak up oil and become greasy.
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- The chicken will take about 12 to 15 minutes to cook. This coating makes a nice, crisp coating, so there is no need to double-fry the chicken.
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- The internal temperature of the cooked chicken should be at least 165°F. However, unlike white meat, dark meat like chicken thighs and chicken legs can be cooked up to 170°F for a nice, deep, crispy coating.
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- Also, drain the oil well by placing the chicken on absorbent paper towels.
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- Rest the chicken for a few minutes on a wire rack before serving to allow all the juices to redistribute and the crust to crisp up even more.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
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This looks delicious and it’s hard to tell it’s not fried!
Thank you Anne.
Totally LOVE crispy chicken. Baked is so much better than fried any day. I will have to give this a try next time I have the grandkids over for the weekend. I know they would love this.
Absolutely Gloria. The kids will love it and you won’t even know it’s not fried. They are so crisp on the out and soft tender on the inside. My kids favorite especially when you go out to the beach.
Your baked crispy chicken looks so good! I love that it’s healthier because the chicken isn’t fried. And the crisp on the chicken is perfect! I can’t wait to make your recipe!
Thank you Elaine. Definitely a much healthier option if you love fried chicken. Crisp on the side and soft juicy on the inside.
I love the corn flakes idea and that would be a nice gluten free option too! Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
Thank you Analida. Yes the cornflakes besides making them gluten free also make them more crispy. Thanks
I knew you could bake ‘fried’ chicken but I haven’t tried it before. So glad this works out, I want to try this. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Thank you Tina, Yes baked works perfectly fine and we love it.
Oven baked can be just as good as fried! I haven’t tried cilantro mixed into my coating yet, but I LOVE it so I’ll have to try it. Thanks for the idea!
Absolutely Becky. I hate the smell of fried oil in the house so I always opt for baked. Plus it’s a lot more healthier than deep fried lol
Looks like crunchy perfection to me! Nice job!
Thanks Paige.
Fried chicken is one of my weaknesses! I love that this is oven baked and still comes out super crispy!
I know what you mean Carrie. Mine too which is why the baked it a better solution
I love that these are baked. They look perfectly crispy and so so good. I need to try them!
Thank you Dominique. Yes they sure are crisp. Just like the fried ones – no one believes that they are not deep fried !!
Love this recipe..Im going to make it soon.Makes me feel hungry too lol..:)