Southern US · Dinner

Buttermilk fried chicken

Name: Buttermilk fried chicken
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 13 h 45 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Southern US
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, 4 pounds, cut into 10 pieces; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 tablespoons hot sauce; 2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided; 2 teaspoons black pepper, divided; 2 teaspoons sweet paprika, divided; 1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided; 1 teaspoon onion powder, divided; 1/2 teaspoon cayenne, divided; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup cornstarch; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 8 cups peanut or neutral frying oil

Southern-style bone-in chicken brined overnight in seasoned buttermilk, craggy double-dredged with flour and cornstarch, then fried in batches for crisp crust and juicy meat.

About 13 hr 45 minTotal

About 1 hr 15 minActive

$$Cost

AdvancedDifficulty

Makes 6 servings

Equipment

Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Best value covered pot
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use a hot sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl for the covered phase.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched capacity, lid fit, oven rating, heat retention, maneuverability, care, stable model identity, and usefulness outside bread baking. Kwilt has not baked with this pot.
Lodge Essential Enamel 6-Quart Dutch Oven · EC6D43: The six-quart capacity, heavy cast-iron body, and fitted lid create the enclosed high-heat environment used by these bread methods while remaining useful beyond baking. Trade-off: At more than thirteen pounds it is demanding to move when hot, and the enamel needs gentler utensils and hand washing.
Another workable path: Bake on a preheated heavy sheet pan under an inverted oven-safe metal bowl, keeping face and hands clear when removing the hot cover.
Sources
Lodge six-quart Essential Enamel specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 6 servings

1 whole chicken, 4 pounds, cut into 10 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt, divided
2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
2 teaspoons sweet paprika, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 teaspoon onion powder, divided
1/2 teaspoon cayenne, divided
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
8 cups peanut or neutral frying oil

Instructions

Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and half each of the pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne. Submerge chicken, cover, and refrigerate 12 to 24 hours.
Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, remaining salt, and remaining spices in a wide dish. Drizzle in 3 tablespoons buttermilk marinade and rub with fingers to create small clumps. Lift chicken one piece at a time, let excess drip, press firmly into dredge, and rest on a rack 15 minutes.
Heat 2 inches oil in a to 325°F. Fry dark-meat pieces first in uncrowded batches, turning every few minutes and holding oil between 300°F and 325°F, until deep gold and at least 175°F near the bone, 12 to 16 minutes.
Raise oil to 340°F and fry breast and wing pieces until deep gold; breast centers must reach 165°F and wings should be cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes. Drain all pieces on a clean rack, never paper towels, and rest 10 minutes before serving.

American SouthSouthern American cooking traditions

From the table

About this recipe

Fried chicken has many global relatives, while the buttermilk-marinated, flour-crusted bird is strongly associated with Southern American cooking and with generations of Black cooks whose skill shaped the dish’s national reputation.

Southern fried chicken has extensive family and regional variation; buttermilk is a prominent style, not a universal requirement. This version selects that named style. Cornstarch and a little wet marinade in the flour create durable crags; separate dark- and white-meat batches prevent dry breast or under-tender legs. This Kwilt version follows the reviewed household adaptation: Use the strongest convergent buttermilk style, adding cornstarch crags and separate meat endpoints while acknowledging that Southern fried chicken is broader than this one branch.

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Southern US · Dinner

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About 1 hr 25 min6 servings