Best Southern Fried Chicken

 

Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 16 chicken drumsticks (or a combination of drumsticks and thighs)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons black pepper (divided)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Vegetable oil (for frying, about 3 cups)

Preparation

1. Preheat the warming drawer or oven to 200°F (95°C).
2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
3. In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk, Tabasco sauce, salt, and 1 tablespoon of black pepper. Add the chicken legs, toss to coat, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or up to 24 hours).
4. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and let the excess buttermilk drip off.
5. In another bowl, combine the flour, the remaining 1 tablespoon of black pepper, and the cayenne pepper. Dredge the chicken legs in the seasoned flour and place them on a rack while the oil heats up.
6. In a large, heavy saucepan or deep skillet, heat about 3 cups of oil to 365°F (185°C). Fry the chicken legs in batches for about 10 minutes, turning once. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
7. Transfer the fried chicken to paper towels to drain excess oil.
8. Place the drained chicken on a baking sheet, loosely cover with foil, and keep warm in the warming drawer or oven while frying the remaining batches.
9. Serve and enjoy your crispy, delicious buttermilk fried chicken!

Tip

For deep-frying, the food is completely submerged in oil, while in pan-frying, the oil covers only the bottom and sides, requiring you to flip the food to cook both sides. Three cups of oil will give you a 1/2-inch depth in a 10-inch skillet, perfect for pan-frying.

Enjoy!