Chef John's Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Juicy fried chicken brined in buttermilk and a blend of herbs, then dredged in seasoned flour and fried in peanut oil until deeply golden and crisp.
🍳 Cook: 25 min
Ingredients
| 1 (3 ½) lb | chicken, cut into 8 pieces | |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | black pepper |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | salt |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | paprika |
| ¼ tsp | 1.3 ml | dried rosemary |
| ¼ tsp | 1.3 ml | ground thyme |
| ¼ tsp | 1.3 ml | dried oregano |
| ¼ tsp | 1.3 ml | dried sage |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | white pepper |
| ¼ tsp | 1.3 ml | cayenne pepper |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | buttermilk |
| 2 cups | 480 ml | flour |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | salt (for seasoned flour) |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | paprika (for seasoned flour) |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | cayenne pepper (for seasoned flour) |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | garlic powder |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | white pepper (for seasoned flour) |
| ½ tsp | 2.5 ml | onion powder |
| 2 ½ quarts | 2.4 l | peanut oil, for frying |
Instructions
- Toss together the chicken pieces, black pepper, salt, paprika, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, white pepper and cayenne in a large bowl to coat.
- Stir in the buttermilk until the chicken is coated. Refrigerate for 6 hours.
- Combine the flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, white pepper and onion powder in a large shallow dish.
- Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and dredge each piece in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess and transfer to a plate.
- Heat the peanut oil in a large Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Add all the chicken to the pan and cook for 10 minutes.
- Turn the chicken pieces and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the oil and transfer to a cooling rack set over a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Note: The oil starts at 350°F (175°C), but when the chicken goes in it will drop to about 300°F (150°C). It should rise back to 305-310°F (155°C) and be held there until done, about 20 minutes.