Name: Chef John's Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 6 h 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Southern
Ingredients: 1 (3 1/2) pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon paprika; 0.5 teaspoon white pepper; 0.25 teaspoon dried rosemary; 0.25 teaspoon ground thyme; 0.25 teaspoon dried oregano; 0.25 teaspoon dried sage; 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 cups flour; 1 teaspoon salt; 0.5 teaspoon paprika; 0.5 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder; 0.5 teaspoon white pepper; 0.5 teaspoon onion powder; 2.5 quarts peanut oil for frying

Chef John's Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Buttermilk fried chicken that's crispy and tender. Whole chicken pieces are soaked in buttermilk, coated in seasoned flour, then fried until crisp.

6 hr 50 min total 15 min prep 25 min cook 4 1262 cal

Instructions

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1 Gather all ingredients.
2 Toss chicken pieces, black pepper, salt, paprika, white pepper, rosemary, thyme, oregano, sage, and cayenne together in a large bowl.
3 Stir in buttermilk until chicken is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.
4 Combine flour, salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, white pepper, and onion powder in a large shallow dish.
5 Remove chicken from buttermilk and dredge each piece in seasoned flour; shake off any excess and transfer to a plate.
6 Heat peanut oil in a large Dutch oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
7 Add chicken pieces to the hot oil and fry for 10 minutes. Turn chicken pieces and fry for another 10 to 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
8 Transfer fried chicken to a cooling rack set over a paper towel-lined baking sheet. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
9 Enjoy!