Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken Recipe

Listen here, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, ain’t much else better than biting into flavorful, juicy, and crunchy fried chicken. This recipe starts with soaking chicken pieces in seasoned buttermilk to begin the flavoring process, it’s the Southern way. Next up, the soaked chicken gets coated in a seasoned flour mixture and fried to golden perfection. This is the only fried chicken recipe you’ll ever need, y’all!

Few things in life are better than the comfort of some good ole fried chicken. And I really don’t think anyone will argue with me on that, ha. Sure, you can get your fixing of it from somewhere on the streets but homemade fried chicken is truly divine. The process of marinating, seasoning, and dropping the chicken into the oil yourself is almost spiritual. It’s an experience I highly recommend to any home cook no matter the skill level. With this post, I aim to dispel any intimidating thoughts you might have as it relates to frying chicken.

Hearing that signature sizzle from the frying. Then trying to do the dance of biting into it after cooking, damn near burning your mouth in anticipation because you can’t be bothered with the wait time on cooling. Buttermilk fried chicken is a true Southern staple, and I just know you all will love this recipe!

Buttermilk Fried Chicken!! 🍗

Fried chicken has long been a popular offering in soul food restaurants all around the world but especially in the American South. The history of it is quite complex as it involves different cultures and periods. However, African Americans did popularize this staple post the Emancipation Proclamation.

My secret to making the best buttermilk fried chicken recipe is outlined in this very blog post to yield crispy, extra flavorful, and insanely good results. Homemade fried chicken shouldn’t intimidate you at all if it does. I got you covered with tips + tricks, helpful photos, and much more!!! ♡

Ingredients You’ll Need For This Fried Chicken Recipe:

(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card directly below.)

• Bone-in/skin-on chicken parts: The pieces you choose for making your batch of fried chicken will depend on your preference. My personal choice of chicken parts for frying are thighs, legs, and wings- I love this trinity. We’ll dig a bit more into the best types of chicken further down below.
• Buttermilk: Now y’all know we can’t make buttermilk fried chicken without dat buttermilk. This single ingredient ensures juicy, moist, and flavorful chicken. Ain’t nothing like the tangy goodness of buttermilk. It’s a Southern staple for good reason when it comes to prepping a dish like this.
• Cajun seasoning: I use my holy grail Creole Cajun seasoning! This well-rounded spice is clutch here because of its array of spices in one. Make my homemade version or use store-bought Cajun seasoning if you’d like!
• Eggs: I use eggs in the buttermilk soak and that extra protein contributes to a nice finished texture. Think of it as extra quality assurance that elevates the overall crispiness and moisture level.
• Mustard: It’s a secret ingredient that adds some depth, yum.
• Flour: This recipe calls for self-rising flour.
• Cornstarch: This ingredient helps to give the chicken a gorgeous golden sheen because cornstarch is completely starch as opposed to flour. Plus, it kicks up the crispy-skinned finish on the buttermilk fried chicken, gah.
• Spices: In addition to Cajun seasoning, you’ll also need garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon pepper seasoning. These spices are my forever go-to’s with this recipe! Those 4 seasonings cover all the ground if ya ask me.
• Oil: Peanut oil is an excellent choice but canola/corn oil works, too.

How To Make Homemade Buttermilk Fried Chicken:

(Note: please see the recipe card directly below for the complete written instructions.)

• Buttermilk soak prep. Place the chicken pieces into a large resealable bag or vessel along with the buttermilk, Cajun seasoning, eggs, and mustard. Toss the mixture until the chicken is well combined. Transfer the chicken to the refrigerator to marinate/soak for at least 6 hours.
• Flour dredge & rest. In a large shallow pie plate or bowl, combine the flour, cornstarch, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder, and lemon pepper seasoning and whisk the mixture until well combined. Remove the chicken pieces from the buttermilk soak and dip into the seasoned flour mixture- coating all surfaces. Then set the dredged chicken onto a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack to rest.
• Heat the oil. In a large heavy-bottomed dutch oven or cast-iron pot over medium heat, add a few inches of oil. Heat the oil to 330-335°F.

& Now Let’s Get To Frying!

• Deep fry chicken. Once the oil temp is rockin’ just right, we’re ready to fry. Working in batches to prevent overcrowding, add a few pieces of chicken to the hot oil. The oil should reach just to the top of the chicken. Fry the chicken until deep golden brown and crispy, until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches at least 165°F. Then use a slotted utensil to transfer the fried chicken to a clean baking sheet fitted with a wire rack to drain. Repeat the process with the remaining chicken. Let the finished fried chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Mmmm, yessir! 🤤

What To Serve With Fried Chicken?

This recipe is absolutely incredible alongside my Southern Collard Greens, Creamy Black-Eyed Peas, Honey Butter Cornbread, or my Candied Yams to name a few! Fried chicken is soul-hugging, scrumptious comfort food on its own- but when paired with the aforementioned sides…sheesh almightyyy 🙌🏾

Recipe Tips + Tricks & More

Here are some extra helpful tidbits for you, boo:

• Chicken parts: While you can technically fry whatever chicken parts you desire, I recommend thighs, legs, and wings. Why so? These parts are smaller as opposed to using the chicken breast which requires a longer frying time. Additionally, bone-in dark meat chicken packs a lot more flavor/juiciness. However, you can surely use any pieces you’d like- frying until the chicken is cooked through.
• For the best buttermilk fried chicken flavor: I recommend using organic or all-natural free-range chicken.
• Self-rising flour: This type of flour is enriched with salt and baking powder. The baking powder contributes to a crispy texture as opposed to using traditional all-purpose flour. If you don’t have self-rising flour, I recommend using 1 ¾ cups ap flour + ¼ cup baking powder.
• Deep fry thermometer: A handy tool to monitor the exact oil temperature.
• Dutch oven: These enameled cast-iron pots are perfect for conducting and evenly distributing heat. They are the most used type of vessels in the BBR kitchen and clutch for doing some deep frying. Additionally, a cast-iron pan is a traditional vessel of choice for frying chicken and conducts heat like a champ as well.
• Kitchen spider: This tool allows you to remove the chicken easily from the hot oil.

This Buttermilk Fried Chicken recipe is everything and more, peeps. Ya just can’t beat dat flavorful, crunchy goodness. Be sure to tag @butterbeready in your BBR recipe creations, I sure love to see it when you do. Until next time! 🤟🏾

More recipes you might enjoy:

• Hamburger Steaks with Onion Gravy
• Caribbean Rum Cake
• Creamy Shrimp and Grits
• Authentic Cajun Gumbo
• The Best Chicken and Dumplings
• Black Eyed Pea Salad

*This post was originally published on 1/31/2021 and updated as of 11/23/2024.

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Recipe by: Quin Liburd- Butter Be Ready

Photography by: Ashley McLaughlin