Crispy Fried Chicken Juicy (Printable)
Juicy chicken coated in a flavorful, crunchy crust, fried until golden and tender.
# What You'll Need:
→ Chicken
01 - 4.8 lbs skin-on chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, or breasts)
→ Marinade
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 tsp salt
04 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
05 - 1/2 tsp paprika
06 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder
→ Coating
07 - 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
10 - 1 tsp paprika
11 - 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
12 - 1 tsp baking powder
→ For Frying
13 - 3 cups vegetable oil
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine chicken pieces with buttermilk, salt, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for optimal flavor and moisture.
02 - Mix all-purpose flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, and baking powder in a separate bowl until evenly combined.
03 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C), ensuring temperature is stable for frying.
04 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off, then dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing to form a uniform coating.
05 - Place coated chicken pieces carefully into hot oil in batches. Fry for 12 to 15 minutes, turning intermittently, until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
06 - Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain excess oil. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The buttermilk marinade makes the chicken so tender it falls from the bone, while the double-dipped coating becomes impossibly crispy.
- It tastes like the real thing from a good restaurant, but costs half the price and comes out of your own oven without the grease smell lasting for days.
02 -
- Don't skip the thermometer—I learned this the hard way after pulling chicken out too early thinking it looked done, only to bite into cold, undercooked meat inside a beautiful golden shell.
- The double-dip method (flour, back into buttermilk, flour again) takes an extra 30 seconds but creates an almost lacy crust that separates from the meat and crackles loud enough to hear.
03 -
- Let the marinated chicken come to room temperature for 15 minutes before frying so the inside cooks evenly and doesn't need to stay in the hot oil as long, which means the outside stays tender instead of drying out.
- Save 100 ml (½ cup) of the marinade after removing the chicken, cool it, and use it as a finishing drizzle over the cooked pieces—it adds moisture and extra flavor that feels like cheating it's so good.