Southern · main

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Buttermilk Fried Chicken reads heat 4.4, sourness 4.2 and salinity 4.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern main, about 8 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 4.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.1 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.1 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Heat 4.4 · Sourness 4.2 · Salinity 4.2 · Richness 4.1 · Allium 4.0 · Nutty 3.3 · Warm Spice 2.9 · Umami 2.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Herbaceous 1.3 · Earthy 1.1 · Sweetness 1.0 · Citrus 0.9 · Bitterness 0.8 · Floral 0.6 · Fruity 0.5

What's in it (13)

• boneless chicken — 1361 g
• buttermilk — 592 g
• hot sauce — 15 g
• salt — 30 g
• eggs — 200 g
• all-purpose flour — 241 g
• paprika — 15 g
• garlic — 10 g
• onion powder — 10 g
• cayenne pepper — 5 g
• black pepper — 5 g
• baking powder — 5 g
• peanut — 1893 g

Time & effort: about 8 hr 20 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 182.7 kcal, 20.1 g protein, 6.4 g fat, 11.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains dairy · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine the chicken, 2 cups of the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 tablespoon of the salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to overnight, so the buttermilk tenderizes the meat and seasons it through.
2. When ready to fry, set up your dredging station: in a shallow dish, whisk the eggs with the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, baking powder, and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt.
3. Lift each piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Dredge in the seasoned flour, pressing to coat well, then dip in the egg-buttermilk wash, then back into the flour for a second coat, pressing firmly so the crust clings. Set the coated pieces on a wire rack while you heat the oil.
4. Pour the oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet to a depth of about 2 inches and heat over medium-high heat to 325°F.
5. Fry the chicken in two batches so the pot isn't crowded: lower the pieces in skin side down and fry, turning every few minutes, until the crust is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest piece, avoiding bone, reads 165°F, 14-16 minutes total. Keep the oil between 300°F and 325°F, adjusting the burner as needed between batches.
6. Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, not paper towels, which steam the crust soft.
7. Season lightly with more salt while the chicken is still hot, so it sticks to the crust.
8. Let the chicken rest at least 5 minutes before serving so the crust sets and the juices settle.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Kadhi Pakora (Yogurt Curry with Gram Flour Fritters) — Indian · Punjab
• Southern Fried Chicken — Southern
• Century Egg with Tofu (皮蛋豆腐) — Chinese
• Spicy Wonton Noodle Bowl — Chinese-American
• Doubles — Trinidadian

Keep reading: what heat, sourness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.