If you want a crazy delicious chicken recipe, then it has to be this recipe for The Best Southern Fried Chicken. Crispy, flavorful and absolutely divine!
Place 1 whole chicken, cut up in a large bowl. Sprinkle on top of the chicken: 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 2 teaspoons onion powder then toss to coat the chicken in the spices.
Add 2 cups buttermilk and 2 Tablespoons hot sauce, stir until everything is combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but it’s best if you can let it sit overnight.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together 2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup cornstarch, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 teaspoons paprika and 2 teaspoons black pepper. Set aside.
Fill up a deep fryer (deep cast iron skillet or dutch oven) with peanut oil (or neutral frying oil of your choice) and preheat to 350°F.
Taking the chicken pieces one at a time, let the excess buttermilk drip off. Coat in the flour mixture, make sure the chicken is well coated. Shake off any excess. Set the chicken aside and let it sit for a few minutes until the coating starts to look a little pasty.
Carefully add the piece of chicken to the deep fryer and continue with the next piece. Don't add more than three or four pieces at at time. You will need to fry in batches so you do not overcrowd the fryer. Fry until golden brown, turning every few minutes.
Chicken is done when golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Depending on the size of the chicken, dark meat can take about 12-14 minutes and white meat takes 8-10 minutes (these are estimates - use a meat thermometer for accurate doneness)
When the chicken is done frying, place it on a paper towel lined sheet tray and immediately sprinkle a little flaked salt on top. Continue with the rest of the chicken pieces.
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Notes
You can let this soak for a minimum of 2 hours but the key to the best flavor is letting it soak overnight. It gives time for the buttermilk to do its magic!
The mixture of the cornstarch and flour helps give it that extra crunchy exterior. Don’t like it crunchy? Just leave out the cornstarch.
We used a whole cut up chicken, you can buy it that way or break down your own.
Peanut oil is the best for frying this recipe but canola or vegetable work as well.
I deep fry my chicken in a deep fryer but you can also do this in a large cast iron pan as well. If you aren't accustomed to frying, it can be difficult to maintain the proper temperature so an electric deep fryer is very helpful. If you find the chicken is darkening too quickly on the outside, it probably means your oil has gotten too hot so it's very important to maintain temperature. Again, if you are not accustomed to frying, thermometers safe for frying and a meat thermometer are your best friends!
Buttermilk is absolutely necessary for this to turn out moist. If you cannot find buttermilk you can make your own by mixing 1 cup of regular milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, then stir.