Everything you need to know to make crispy, juicy, finger-licking good fried chicken at home. It might seem intimidating, but it’s actually pretty straightforward and it puts grocery store and fast food fried chicken to shame. Our buttermilk brine doesn’t just keep the chicken juicy, it infuses every bite with mouthwatering flavor. And that crispy coating? It’s flavorful and crunch every time!
You can also make fried chicken in an air fryer with our easy-to-follow instructions.
Why Our Recipe
- A flavorful buttermilk brine that not only keeps your chicken juicy but also flavors the meat itself.
- Our ultimate blend of herbs and spices puts the colonel’s to shame.
- The secret addition of cornstarch ensures a perfectly crispy coating every time.
Trust us, the Colonel’s got nothing on our spice blend! We’ll walk you through every step of the process with clear instructions and a video demonstration so you can fry with confidence. Whether it’s your first time or your fiftieth, this recipe is foolproof and guaranteed to deliver.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Thighs and Drumsticks: Bone-in, skin-on chicken is a must for the juiciest, crispiest fried chicken. You can also use bone-in, skin-on chicken breast.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, mix 2 cups of milk with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Buffalo Hot Sauce: We use Frank’s. For a milder option, reduce the amount or use a less spicy hot sauce.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the crispy coating. For a gluten-free option, substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
- Cornstarch: The secret to an extra-crispy crust. Don’t leave this out!
- Frying Oil: Choose a high-smoke-point oil like vegetable, canola, or peanut oil for frying.
Cornstarch Secret
Cornstarch is the not-so-secret weapon for that extra-crispy coating. It helps create a delicate, shatteringly crisp crust that’s lighter than flour alone. You’ll notice the difference with every satisfying crunch!
Brining with Buttermilk
The buttermilk brine isn’t just for moisture—it’s flavor magic! Its slight acidity tenderizes the meat, while the spices in the brine seep into every bite. Brine for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best for juicy, flavorful chicken. Chicken can brine in buttermilk for up to 24 hours.
Keep the Breading From Falling Off
The secret to keeping the coating intact is in the prep. Pat the chicken dry before brining, let excess brine drip off, and press the dredging mixture firmly onto the chicken. Don’t skip resting the breaded chicken for 10-15 minutes before frying—this helps the coating stick better during cooking.
Make sure that you don’t overcrowd your pan. You want to make sure that the chicken isn’t bumping against other pieces of chicken which can knock off the breading. Only flip your chicken once while frying. The more you fuss with your chicken, the more likely you are to knock off or disturb some of the crunchy coating.
Frying Oils
There are lots of options when it comes to oil used for deep frying. Common options include peanut oil, vegetable oil, canola oil, safflower oil, and corn oil. Vegetable oil is the oil we recommend using for deep frying.
To reuse your oil, simply let the oil cool down completely, strain it, and return it to a storage container for later use.
Monitoring Oil Temperature
The key to perfect fried chicken is keeping the oil temperature steady between 300–350°F. Too low, and your chicken gets greasy; too high, and the coating burns before the inside cooks. Use a deep-fry thermometer clipped to your pan or an instant-read thermometer to check frequently. Adjust the heat as needed—small tweaks go a long way!
Cooking Times
Cooking times depend on the size of the chicken pieces. Thighs and drumsticks take about 14–16 minutes, while smaller pieces like wings cook in 8–10 minutes. Use a thermometer for accuracy.
Checking Internal Temperature
For safe and juicy chicken, aim for an internal temperature of 165°F. Dark meat, like thighs and drumsticks, are best between 170–175°F. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, avoiding the bone, for an accurate reading. Trust your thermometer—it’s your best friend for fried chicken success.
If you don’t have a thermometer, pierce the thickest part of the chicken with a knife or skewer. If the juices run clear (not pink), it’s done. As a last resort, cut into a piece to ensure there’s no pink meat near the bone.
Keeping Warm Before Serving
To keep fried chicken crispy while cooking in batches, place the cooked pieces on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200°F oven. This keeps them warm and prevents sogginess until you’re ready to serve. Never cover with foil—it traps steam and softens the crust.
Storage &Reheating Instructions
Fried chicken is best when it is fresh and the skin is still crispy. Leftovers though will be good in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. The skin will not be as crispy when reheated.
To reheat in the oven, preheat to 375°F. Place chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and heat for 10–15 minutes, flipping halfway through. This keeps the crust crispy.
To reheat in the air fryer, place in the basket and reheat at 350°F for 3–5 minutes, or until warmed through.
Serve your fried chicken with…
Mom’s Creamy Potato Salad
2 hrs 30 mins
Classic Baked Beans
16 hrs 30 mins
Classic Coleslaw
1 hr 15 mins
Easy Stovetop Mac and Cheese
15 mins
Watch the video below where we will walk you through every step of the recipe with a video demonstration.
It was great but, I think next time I will double the spice’s . The reaipe is just fine the way it is we really enjoyed it. I on the other hand enjoy strong spices
Nothing but good cooking and good advice.
Thank you so much.
I love the secret
It’s a beautiful way to learn to have the delicious fried chicken. ❤️❤️❤️
I’m a 58 year man. I’m not much of a cook outside of a simple bacon & eggs breakfast, grilled steaks, and also BBQ ribs. I have never fried chicken before or battered and fried anything at all. I have never even heated up oil.
I followed the directions, except I made the flower mix 2-1/2 cups corn starch & 1 cup flour…just to test if it came out extra crispy, like she said (it did!). I also doubled the spices because I prefer a lot of popping flavor, like hot wings. I also added 1 tablespoon Sriracha powder & 1 tablespoon spicy hot wing powder.
Turned out nearly perfect. I was very impressed! I want a thicker coating of the crispy crust though, so…next time I might try adding sour cream or yogurt to the soaking mixture. I’m hoping that a thicker coating that is more sticky, might gather up & grab onto the cornstarch/flour mixture better. Hence…extra thick & extra crispy breading!
My chicken turned out perfectly crunchy. Gorgeous color and juicy. I Used yogurt tarragon aolie instead of buttermilk and brined the chicken before baking and then dredging. Amazing recipe and now Dad has a crispy chicken recipe for the family. Thank you.
Thank you for the awesome recipe and all the tips. I am 62 years old and although a pretty good cook, I have never been able to master fried chicken. I’m not one to buy specialized appliances, so I particularly appreciated the info about the oil and frying temps. I took the advice about putting the dredged chicken on a wire rack for awhile to dry as well.
I am not one to have vegetable oil on hand (mostly use olive oil), but upon your advice I sent my husband to the store. I didn’t have all of the ingredients suggested, but I winged it on a few — for example, substituting some hot chili powder if place of the cayenne pepper. I also didn’t have buttermilk on hand, so I made my own using 1 cup milk to 1 TBSP white vinegar. I also substituted potato starch for the corn starch. Even so, the chicken turned out great.
For those seeking to master this recipe: the tips about TEMPS and using the right kind oil were the most helpful. Thank you!
Used the recipe when making dinner for my family this evening. It was a hit! They licked their platters clean!
it is super good its a five star from me
Don’t set the Fried Chicken on paper towels as I will create steaming and reduce the crispness of your chicken
This is a good recipe for Fried Chicken, it’s not Fried-Baked Chicken. Oil to be used is listed, or use another high smoke point oil like Canola or Peanut (even good old Crisco). Any other oil will NOT work as well and will burn faster including the meat. No need to ‘poke holes’ or ‘cut slits’ into the meat. (Do you want to make chicken jerky or lose some of the flavor you spent hours making)? Great fried chicken joints in the south NEVER do this and have the BEST chicken anywhere! Temperature is the key. Only do a few pieces at a time and watch the temp as it will drop when you add the meat. No LESS then 350 degrees (375 is the actual sweet spot). Also, make sure you have enough oil in a DEEP frying pan or Dutch Oven (1 inch minimum at all times) 5-7 mins turn and repeat. Trial and error of course based on your skill set and cooking set-up. Pro tip- cool the chicken on a wire rack set inside a baking tray…no soggy bottoms either!
Best fried chicken in the world 10 out 10 must try again