Chef John's Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Servings: 4
Yield: 4 servings

Description

Buttermilk fried chicken that's crispy and tender. Whole chicken pieces are soaked in buttermilk, coated in seasoned flour, then fried until crisp.

Ingredients

1 (3 1/2) pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 1/2 quarts peanut oil for frying

Directions

1 Gather all ingredients.
2 Toss chicken pieces, black pepper, salt, paprika, white pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and cayenne together in a large bowl.
3 Stir in buttermilk until chicken is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.
4 Combine flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, white pepper, and onion powder in a large shallow dish.
5 Remove chicken from buttermilk and dredge each piece in seasoned flour; shake off any excess and transfer to a plate.
6 Heat peanut oil in a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
7 Add chicken pieces to the hot oil and fry for 10 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and fry for another 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
8 Transfer fried chicken to a cooling rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
9 Enjoy!