The quest for perfect fried chicken is not for the faint of heart. You need evenly golden brown skin, tender, juicy meat, and a combination of crisp and crunch that would make the Colonel quake in his cowboy boots. To complete the journey to fried chicken nirvana, I went through 5 whole chickens, 3 gallons of peanut oil, and over 20 iterations of the recipe so that you won’t have to. The final result is a simple formula: a seasoned buttermilk brine + a dip in batter + a shake in flour + a dunk into a pot of hot oil = the only fried chicken recipe you’ll ever need. Read on for my top tips to ace this extra-crispy recipe.
What People Are Saying:
“Made this for mdw and my family dubbed this the OFFICIAL fried chicken recipe that we’re making from here on out. It stayed crispy for much longer than any recipe I’ve used before. Making it again for a grad party this weekend. 😆” – smartcookie11
“No discussion that this is the best chicken recipe since Julia Child’s coq au vin. The crisp is light and shattering while chicken being perfectly tender. It’s great when you can follow the recipe and not worry about how it’ll turn out.” – Rochesterocks
How To Make Crispy Fried Chicken
INGREDIENTS
- Whole-Fat Buttermilk: An essential ingredient for, well, the buttermilk brine, this is the star for the marinade for the chicken pieces. Whole-fat is important, so please seek it out.
- Cajun Seasoning: You can use store-bought or homemade Cajun seasoning (though of course I always recommend homemade, and you can store it for basically forever), and this is what gives the marinade that pizzazz. You’ll also use some for the batter. It really provides the fried chicken a bold dose of wow.
- Dill Pickle Juice: Only a little bit from your pickle jar is needed, and no one will complain about having some dill pickles on the side of your perfectly made fried chicken.
- Hot Sauce: Adjust to your tastes, but this complements the Cajun seasoning and will mellow out as it sits in the fridge as the chicken marinates.
- Kosher Salt: I use Diamond Crystal when developing recipes, so if you’re using Morton or table salt, cut the amount by half.
- Whole Chicken: Use all those chicken pieces! You can buy them individually too of course, just make sure you get a mix of white and dark meat.
- Cornstarch & Flour: The backbone of the batter, plus a hint of Cajun seasoning, makes the chicken incredibly crispy. You also need both for the flour dredge.
- Vodka??: Believe it or not, yes—vodka. Water gave the batter the right consistency, but vodka evaporates much faster than water, allowing the crust to crisp quickly rather than getting crunchy. You won’t be able to taste it, and just about all the alcohol cooks off. If you absolutely don’t want to use vodka, you can use water, but shorten your second fry by a minute.
- Peanut Oil: Peanut oil adds a, of course, nutty flavor that I find irresistible with fried chicken, but any oil that can be heated up high can be substituted here.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
This recipe is a bit of a project, but it’s made easy by breaking down into different components. First, you gotta cut up a whole chicken into its different parts. I found buying a whole chicken is easiest for that mix of white and dark meat, but like I said above, buying them separately is totally fine. Watch the video above to see how it’s done.
Time for the brine. Simply stir the buttermilk, Cajun seasoning, pickle juice, hot sauce, and salt in a large measuring cup. Be sure to put some aside for the batter!
Rub the chicken into the buttermilk brine in a large plastic bag, then lay the bag flat and refrigerate for up to 1 day. While that’s happening, whisk the cornstarch, flour, and more Cajun seasoning for the batter.
Add a mix of egg whites, vodka (read above if you’re all ??), and the reserved brine. Whisk until just a few lumps remain.
Finally, in a paper lunch bag (or a large plastic container), whisk flour, cornstarch, and salt for the flour dredge. Remove the chicken from the brine and pat it dry. Dip into batter, then shake in the bag that has the flour dredge until well coated.
Working 2 to 3 pieces at a time, fry chicken in a large, heavy pot filled with 325° oil until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should register 165°). It’ll be 10 minutes for white meat and 13 minutes for dark meat—keep in mind dark meat can be quite forgiving. Let it drain on a wire rack.
Guess what? You’re gonna do it again! Read more about the double fry in “Recipe Tips.” But please don’t skip this step. This is what sets my fried chicken apart from all of the other fried chickens.
Let the chicken cool completely (with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt if you have some on hand) before diving in.
The full list of ingredients and directions can be found in the recipe below.
Recipe Tips
- Go for the full marination: To get the most flavorful, tender chicken possible, let the meat marinate at least overnight for up to 24 hours. I know, I know: You want the crispy fried chicken right now. But trust me, the extra time in the buttermilk brine brings much-needed tenderization and flavor to each bite (especially the breast pieces!). Do it for your future fried-chicken-eating self.
- Fry dark and white pieces separately: The dark meat pieces will take a few minutes longer to cook than the white meat pieces. To avoid tracking multiple timers at once, batter, dredge, and fry the dark pieces and white pieces in separate batches.
- Double-fry the chicken: After the first trip to the fryer in 300° oil, the chicken will come out piping hot and fully cooked, but the water inside the meat will continue to evaporate for a few minutes, causing that once crispy exterior to sweat and get soggy. Soggy crust is heartbreaking, but it’s nothing a double fry can’t fix. Cranking the heat up to 350° will give the crust the deep golden brown color that fried chicken is known for, and it will return the crisp crust to its former glory.
Serving Ideas
Fried chicken is an anytime food. Sure, you can make it for dinner, but please don’t stop there. Fry a batch for a spring picnic, a 4th of July BBQ, or to serve alongside cornbread waffles at brunch. Whatever you do, don’t forget to save a leg to eat cold while standing in front of the open refrigerator!
Storage
If you have any leftovers, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350° oven or air fryer…or as I said above, just eat it cold!
